Logical Fallacies

Front 1

Ad hominem

Back 1

attacking the man

ex. A: I believe abortion’s wrong
B: Of course you do you’re a priest A: What about the arguments I gave to support my view.
B: They don’t count b/c you are a priest and have to say abortion’s wrong

Front 2

Golden Mean Fallacy

Back 2

the middle position between two extremes

A: I think the tax increase should be 50%.
B: I think the tax increase should be 10%
C:I think the tax increase should be 25% and I’m right b/c I’m the middle

Front 3

Begging the Question

Back 3

a claim is taken to be true w/ no
evidence but the claim

God exists because the Bible says so. The Bible was written by God.

Front 4

Burden of Proof

Back 4

the claim that whatever has not yet been proved false must be true (or vice versa), claims that he should win by default if his opponent can't make a strong enough case.

Of course God exists. Has anyone ever proven otherwise?

Front 5

Ad baculum

Back 5

a statement that appeals to fear and must, therefore, be true

You must believe that God exists. After all, if you do not accept the existence of God, then you will face the horrors of hell.

Front 6

Ad populum

Back 6

appeal to popularity, most people approve of X so X is true

Since 88% of the people polled believed in UFOs, they must exist.

Front 7

Ad ignorantiam

Back 7

– appeal to ignorance, proposition is true simply on the basis that it has not been proved false or that it is false simply because it has not been proved true.

Evolution is false because it can't explain how life could evolve from non-life.

Front 8

Composition

Back 8

the whole is assumed to have the same qualities as the parts

You like jello, fish, and whip cream, so you will like them in a dish together.

Front 9

Black/ White Fallacy

Back 9

only two alternatives are considered, but there are more options (usually two extreme points)

Either you decide that you can afford this stereo, or you decide you are going to do without music for a while

Front 10

Poisoning the well

Back 10

trying to discredit what someone says by presenting unfavorable information about them

You are told, prior to meeting him, that your friend's boyfriend is a decadent wastrel. When you meet him, everything you hear him say is tainted.

Front 11

Slippery slope

Back 11

since X event occurred, Y event will follow

. The US shouldn't get involved militarily in other countries. Once the government sends in a few troops, it will then send in thousands to die.

Front 12

Red Herring

Back 12

an irrelevant topic is brought up to divert attention from real issue

I think that we should make the academic requirements stricter for students. I recommend that you support this, because we are in a budget crisis and we do not want our salaries affected.

Front 13

Gambler's Fallacy

Back 13

assumption that past events will influence future events, even when they are statistically independent

You know this week you will win the lotto, because you have been losing for many years so it is impossible for you to keep losing.

Front 14

Guilt by association

Back 14

you reject a claim b/c people you don’t like accept it

Hitler was a vegetarian. Hitler was pure evil. Therefore, vegetarians have evil ideals.

Front 15

Relativist Fallacy

Back 15

a person rejects a claim by saying it is true for others but not her

Being healthy to live longer may work for some people, but I don’t need to do that.

Front 16

Dicto simpliciter

Back 16

sweeping generalizations

Birds can usually fly. A penguin is a bird. A penguin can fly.

Front 17

Non-sequitir

Back 17

An inference or conclusion that does not follow from established premises or evidence

There occured an increase of births during the full moon, so full moons cause birth rates to rise.

Front 18

Complex Question

Back 18

a question is asked (a) that rests on a questionable assumption, and (b) to which all answers appear to endorse that assumption.

Have you stopped beating your wife?

Front 19

Appeal to Tradition

Back 19

assumed that something is better or correct simply because it is older, traditional, or "always has been done.

Sure I believe in God. People have believed in God for thousands of years so it seems clear that God must exist. After all, why else would the belief last so long?

Front 20

Ad vercundiam

Back 20

person in question is not a legitimate authority on the subject

I'm not a doctor, but I play one on the hit series "Bimbos and Studmuffins in the OR." You can take it from me that when you need a fast acting, effective and safe pain killer there is nothing better than MorphiDope 2000. That is my considered medical opinion

Front 21

Ad Misericordian

Back 21

pity or a related emotion such as sympathy or compassion is appealed to for the sake of getting a conclusion accepted.

I'm positive that my work will meet your requirements. I really need the job since my grandmother is sick.

Front 22

Genetic Fallacy

Back 22

a conclusion is suggested based solely on something or someone's origin rather than its current meaning or context.

America will never settle down; look at the rabble-rousers who founded it.

Front 23

Straw Man

Back 23

is committed when a person simply ignores a person's actual position and substitutes a distorted, exaggerated or misrepresented version of that position.

Senator Jones says that we should not fund the attack submarine program. I disagree entirely. I can't understand why he wants to leave us defenseless like that.

Front 24

Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc

Back 24

If A occurs before B, A is the cause of B.

I had been doing pretty poorly this season. Then my girlfriend gave me this neon laces for my spikes and I won my next three races. Those laces must be good luck...if I keep on wearing them I can't help but win!