Name that Definition
This fallacy attacks the person making the argument instead of addressing the argument itself.
What is Ad Hominem?
"Everyone in school is getting the new shoes, so they must be the best shoes to buy!"
What is Bandwagon?
An ad shows pictures of sad, shivering puppies in the cold to convince you to donate money to an organization.
What is Appeal to Emotion?
When asked why homework was not completed, a student replies, "Did you see that amazing play in the football game last night?"
What is Red Herring?
"I met two people from that city and both were rude, so everyone who lives in that city must be rude."
What is Hasty Generalization?
"We should implement a 10-minute quiet reading time because three peer-reviewed educational studies showed it improved student reading comprehension by 15%." Is this reasoning Valid or Fallacious? (You must explain why!)
What is Valid? (It uses relevant and sufficient evidence from studies).
This fallacy claims something is true (or false) simply because no one has proven otherwise.
What is Appeal to Ignorance?
"Either we ban all video games, or our teenagers will fail all their classes."
What is False Dilemma?
A famous movie star appears in a commercial telling viewers which brand of car engine oil is best.
What is Appeal to Authority?
"Don't listen to Sarah's proposal for the recycling drive; she's just a noisy hypocrite."
What is Ad Hominem?
"Ghosts must exist because science has never proven that they don't."
What is Appeal to Ignorance?
"We shouldn't try the new science lab curriculum because the old curriculum has been used for 20 years." Is this reasoning Valid or Fallacious? If fallacious, name the fallacy. (You must explain!)
What is Fallacious (Appeal to Tradition)
This fallacy argues that something is good or right simply because it has always been done that way.
What is Appeal to Tradition?
"I wore my lucky socks today and aced my math test, so my socks caused me to get an A."
What is Post Hoc / False Cause?
A commercial claims: "Our cereal is the healthiest breakfast choice because it contains the most healthy ingredients."
What is Circular Reasoning?
"You think we should spend more time studying for exams? So you're saying we should never have any fun or free time again?"
What is Straw Man?
"Our school has had a dress code since 1950, so changing it now would be a bad idea."
What is Appeal to Tradition?
"The cafeteria should serve more fresh fruit because fruit provides essential vitamins that support student focus and health." Is this reasoning Valid or Fallacious?(You must explain!)
What is Valid? (The reasoning directly connects nutritional value to health benefits).
This fallacy uses its own claim as its proof
What is Circular Reasoning?
"Why should I listen to your advice about staying organized when your own desk is a complete mess?"
What is Tu Quoque ("You Too")?
A news clip argues: "Millions of people have switched to our streaming service, so it is undeniably the highest quality service available."
What is Bandwagon?
When confronted about taking an extra dessert, an athlete says, "Why are you talking about dessert when global climate change is a far bigger issue?"
What is Red Herring?
"It rained right after I washed my car, so washing my car must have brought on the rain storm."
What is Post Hoc / False Cause?
"If we lower the pass mark on this test by 2%, every student in the state will stop studying forever." Is this reasoning Valid or Fallacious? If fallacious, name the fallacy. (You must explain!)
What is Fallacious (Slippery Slope)?
This fallacy treats two things as equal when they actually differ in important ways.
What is False Equivalence?
"If we let students choose their own seats today, next week they won't follow any rules, and eventually school will descend into total chaos!"
What is Slippery Slope?
A political advertisement states: "My opponent wants to reduce our city budget slightly, which means they want to completely dismantle our police department and leave us defenseless!"
What is Straw Man?
"You're telling me to stop eating fast food for health reasons, but I saw you eating a double cheeseburger yesterday!"
What is Tu Quoque ("You Too")?
"Comparing missing one homework assignment to failing the entire school year is a fair comparison."
What is False Equivalence?
"Dr. Johnson, a board-certified cardiologist, recommends 30 minutes of daily exercise to reduce the risk of heart disease." Is this reasoning Valid or an Appeal to Authority fallacy? Explain why
What is Valid? (Dr. Johnson is a qualified expert in heart health, so citing them is legitimate expertise, not a fallacious Appeal to Authority)