Fallacies

AP Lang: Ketterlings Fallacies fr

Hasty Generalization

A fallacy in which a person leaps to a generalized conclusion based on only a few instances.

Post Hoc

Literal meaning ¨after this.¨ A fallacy in which a person assumes one thing caused another simply because it happened prior to the other.

Ad poplum

Literal meaning ¨appeal to the people.¨ A fallacy in which a person argues that something is true because ¨people¨ think so.

¨Argument¨ from outrage

A fallacy in which a person uses what makes a person angry to persuade him or her to accept a position without critically evaluating.

Ad misericordiam (Appeal to pity)

A fallacy in which a person attempts to use compassion or pity to replace a logical argument.

Ad baculum (Scare tactics)

An apeal to fear in place of logic.

Straw man

A fallacy in which a person misrepresents someones argument to make it easier to attack.

Ad hominem (Genetic fallacy)

Literal meaning: ¨to the man.¨ A fallacy that refers to attacks against a person rather than the ideas the person presents.

Red herrring (somesscreen)

A fallacy in which a person answers a question by changing the subject to lead the reader or listener off track, or uses misleading or unrelated evidence to support a conclusion.

Slippery slope

A fallacy in which a person suggests hat one action will lead to an inevitable and undesireable outcome.

Either/or (false dilemma)

A fallacy in which a person provides a conclusion that oversimplifies an argument bu suggesting that there are only two possible sides or choices.

Moral Equivalency

A comparison of minor misdeeds with major atrocities.