Fallacies of Relevance
An argument that discounts a rival's position because the rival has not always been consistent in advocating or practicing his current position.
What is tu quoque?
A fallacy of clarity that makes a linguistic distinction between two things that are actually not different from each other.
What is distinction without a difference?
An argument that assumes that only two possibilities exist, when in fact there may be others.
What is the fallacy of bifurcation (false dilemma)?
There are two types of people in the world; those who own a Mercedes-Benz and those who wish they did.
What is bifurcation (false dilemma)?
Why would anyone vote for Johnson? He is about as inspiring as a bowl of soggy cornflakes.
What is ad hominem abusive?
The speaker says all sorts of mean and nasty things about his rival's argument should be discounted.
What is ad hominem abusive?
An argument that is based on a misuse of statistics.
What is fake precisions?
An argument that assumes that something is right simply because it is the way things happen to be.
What is the is-ought fallacy?
You can't boil water in the new army helmets! They really are poorly designed.
What is irrelevant goals or functions?
Please give this young man another chance to become a good and law-abiding citizen. He is too young to be locked away in prison and separated from his family.
What is appeal to pity?
An appeal to those of "discriminating tastes."
What is snob appeal?
A fallacy of clarity that rests on an improper emphasis on certain words or phrases.
What is accent?
An argument that is either just restating the conclusion in other words, assuming the very thing it needs to prove.
What is begging the question?
English majors are legendary for being lousy at math. Gordon is an English major, so he is not likely to do well in his algebra class.
What is sweeping generalization?
What is False Analogy?
An argument that tries to discredit an opponent because of his potential self-interest in the matter at hand.
What is ad hominem circumstantial?
An argument that proves a different point than the one that is relevant to the issue at hand.
What is an irrelevant thesis?
An argument that is based on a weak causal connection.
What is false cause?
A piece of paper is as light as a feather. I can carry a case of paper - no problem!
What is Fallacy of Composition?
You like chicken noodle soup, and I like tomato. I will look for a recipe for chicken-tomato-noodle soup! That will be perfect.
What is Fallacy of Moderation?
The thing or idea being argued is discounted solely because of its origin.
What is the genetic fallacy?
A fallacy of clarity in which a key term in the argument is employed more than once with several different meanings.
What is Equivocation?
An argument that assumes that a collective whole will have the same properties as its parts.
What is the fallacy of composition?
I'm not a poor student. I just don't study very hard, when I study at all.
What is Distinction Without a Difference?
Of course leprechauns exist. Can you prove they don't exist? Since you can't prove they don't exist, you should stop criticizing me for my conviction that they do.
What is Appeal to Ignorance?