logical fallacies

Ad Hominem (attacking the character of the opponent)

These arguments limit themselves not to the issues, but to the opposition itself. Writers who fall into this fallacy attempt to refute the claims of the opposition by bringing the opposition's character into question.

These arguments ignore the issues and attack the people.

Begging the Question (Circular Logic)

This happens when the writer presents an arguable point as a fact that supports the argument. This error leads to an argument that goes around and around, with evidence making the same claim as the proposition. Because it is much easier to make a claim than to support it, many writers fall into this trap.

Non Sequitur arguments

The conclusion doesn't logically follow the explanation. These fallacies can be found on both the sentence level and the level of the argument itself.

Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc (after this, therefore also this)

This argument assumes a faulty causal relationship. One event following another in time does not mean that the first event caused the later event. Writers must be able to prove that one event caused another event and did not simply follow in time.

Faulty Analogies

These extended comparisons and metaphors attempt to relate ideas or situations that upon closer inspection aren't really that similar.

Hasty Generalizations

These fallacies may base an argument on insufficient evidence. Writers may draw conclusions too quickly, not considering the whole issue. They may look only at a small group as representative of the whole or may look only at a small piece of the issue.

Red Herrings

These fallacies may have little relevance to the argument at hand. Desperate arguers often try to change the ground of the argument by changing the subject. The new subject may be related to the original argument, but does little to resolve it.

Equivocation

This may happen when the writer makes use of a word's multiple meanings and changes the meanings in the middle of the argument without really telling the audience about the shift. Often when we use vague or ambiguous words like "right," "justice," or "experience," we aren't sure ourselves what we mean.

shifting the question

similar to red herring, instead of addressing the argument the writer shifts focus to an unrelated argument

strawman

This fallacy is a tactic used by a lot of writers because they find it easier to refute an oversimplified opposition. Writers may also pick only the opposition's weakest or most insignificant point to refute. Doing so diverts attention from the real issues and rarely, if ever, leads to resolution or truth.

slippery slopes

This fallacy suggest that one step will inevitably lead to more, eventually negative steps. While sometimes the results

may be negative, this fallacy argues that the descent is inevitable and unalterable. Stirring up emotions against the

negative trend, this fallacy can be avoided by providing solid evidence of the eventuality rather than speculation.

either- or arguments

This fallacy may reduce complex issues to black and white choices. Most often issues will have a number of choices for resolution

Bandwagon Appeals (ad populum)

This fallacy tries to get everyone on board. Writers who use this approach try to convince readers that everyone else believes something, so the reader should also. The fact that a lot of people believe it does not make it so.

false authority

This fallacy is a tactic used by many writers, especially in advertising. An authority in one field may know nothing of another field. Being knowledgeable in one area doesn't constitute knowledge in other areas.

shifting definition

changing the definition of a key term, a form of begging the question

fallacies of insufficiency

when evidence is insufficient

fallacies of relevance

arguments that are really distractions from the main point

fallacy of accuracy

using evidence that is either intentionally or unintentionally accurate