Logical Fallacies (Most are From "Your Logical Fallacy is" Website)

Definition of Logical Fallacy

Some sort of error in reasoning

Strawman

Misrepresenting someone’s argument to make it easier to attack. Example: Will wants to put more money into education, so Warren says Will hates our country by cutting military spending

Burden of Proof

Occurs when someone makes a claim, and expects someone else to disprove it. The inability to disprove a claim does not make it a valid claim.

Ambiguity

Using a “double” meaning or ambiguity of language to mislead or misrepresent the truth. Example: A judge asks the defendant why he didn’t pay his parking fines. Defendant argues he saw a sign saying “Fine for parking here” so he thought it’s ok to park there

The Gambler's Fallacy

When an individual believed that a certain event is more or less likely to occur based on past events, almost always referring to probability. Example: After a coin is flipped 3 times that resulted in heads, tails must be flipped on the 4th time.

Bandwagon

Appealing to popularity or the fact that many people do something as a form of validation.

Appeal to Authority

The opinion of an authority figure who lacks relevant expertise on the argument is used. (Note: Using an actual authority who is an expert in the field is not fallacious. They have to be a non-authority to be fallacious). Example: A commercial claims that a specific brand of cereal is the best way to start the day.

Composition/Division

You assumed one part of something has to be applied to ALL or other parts of it; or that the whole must apply to its parts. Example: Daniel has a linking for logic.

No True Scotsman

Genetic

Black or White (Also known as False Dilemma)

Begging the Question

Anecdotal

The Texas Sharpshooter

Middle Ground

Red Herring

Hasty Generalization

Slippery Slope

Appeal to Nature

False Cause

Appeal to emotion

The Fallacy Fallacy

Says that because someone made a fallacy in their argument, the claim or main point must be false. Example: Amanda says that we should eat healthy food because a nutritionist said so (Appeal to Authority), Alyse then says, we should eat bacon double cheeseburgers everyday (Alyse is denying Amandas claim, saying its false, and making her own claim)

Ad Hominem

Attacking your opponents character or personal traits to undermine their argument. Example: Sally makes an excellent argument on the taxation system and Sam asks the audience if they should believe a women who isn’t married, got arrested, and smells weird

Tu Quoque (Pronounced Two Quo-k)

Personal Incredulity

Special Pleading

Loaded Question