Fallacies 101
The leap to a generalized conclusion based on only a few instances. For example, on a trip to Paris you meet several rude Parisians, leading you to conclude that French people are rude.
Hasty generalization
An appeal to fear in place of logic. If a candidate for office says, “Electing my opponent will open the door for new terrorist attacks,” it represents an attempt to scare people into rejecting the person despite providing no evidence to justify the claim.
Ad baculum
This is a conclusion that oversimplifies the argument by suggesting that there are only two possible sides or choices. It is very common in debates of policy, where issues are always complex but are reduced by politicians to simplistic binaries (either/or) for rhetorical purposes.
Either/or (or false dilemma):
Literally meaning “after this,” it's a causal fallacy in which a person assumes one thing caused another simply because it happened prior to the other. For instance, the high school soccer team loses an important game the day after they start wearing new uniforms. The coach blames the loss on the new uniforms.
Post hoc
Erecting a distorted or exaggerated representation of a position that is easily refuted. For example, Schroth says, “But, you say, if high schools drop football it will deprive colleges and the pros of their feeder system,” an argument that is, of course, a ridiculous attempt to justify high school football-and one that is thus easy to refute.
Straw man
How many oceans are there?
5
Indian, Pacific, Artic, Atlantic, Southern
Literally meaning “appeal to the people”; arguing that something is true because other people think so; refers to a variety of appeals that play on the association of a person or subject with values that are held by members of a target group (think of images of the flag in ads playing on patriotism) or the suggestion that “everybody knows” that something is true (as with bandwagoning).
Ad populum
refers to attacks against a person himself- or herself rather than the ideas the person presents.
Ad hominem
What is the process by which plants make their own food?
Photosynthesis
Aristotle said that if you understand what makes a person angry, you can use that anger to persuade him or her to accept a position without critically evaluating it. This fallacy is the backbone of talk radio and of political rhetoric on both extremes of the political spectrum. It often employs loaded language and labels. It also includes scapegoating-blaming a certain group of people or even a single person.
Argument” from outrage
Answering the question by changing the subject. For example, when pulled over for speeding, a person might respond to the officer's question “Why were you speeding?” by saying, “The school no longer offers driver's education classes.”
Red herring/smokescreen
What resource covers most of the Earth?
Water
If you have ever asked a teacher to give you a better grade or a second chance because things have been tough recently or because you worked so hard, you're guilty of this one! It refers to an attempt to use compassion or pity to replace a logical argument.
Ad misericordiam
appeal to fear and half a causal fallacy, a person uses a slippery slope when they suggest one action will lead to an inevitable and undesirable outcome. To say legalizing voluntary euthanasia paves the way for forced euthanasia is a slippery slope argument.
Slippery slope
Which sentence is correct?
The yolk of the egg is white” or “the yolk of the egg is white.”
Neither