Emotional Fallacies
“If we don’t pass this law immediately, our country will collapse into chaos.”
Scare Tactic
Why It's a fallacy: It relies on fear instead of evidence, exaggerating consequences to push agreement.
“My roommate failed one math test, so he’s bad at math.”
Hasty Generalization
Why it’s a fallacy:
A broad conclusion is drawn from insufficient evidence.
“A famous actor says this diet works, so it must be true.”
Appeal to False Authority
Why it’s a fallacy:
The authority cited lacks relevant expertise on the subject.
This fallacy occurs when an argument’s conclusion does not logically follow from its premises.
Non Sequitur
Why it’s a fallacy:
The reasoning lacks a logical connection. The conclusion does not follow from the evidence provided.
“You’re either for this policy or you don’t care about the country.”
Either/Or Choice
Why it’s a fallacy:
It reduces a complex issue to only two extreme options and ignores legitimate alternatives.
“You’re either with us or against us.”
Either/Or Choice
Why it’s a fallacy:
It oversimplifies a complex issue and ignores reasonable alternatives.
“I wore my lucky socks and we won the game—so the socks caused the win.”
Faulty Causality
Why it’s a fallacy:
It is the faulty assumption that because one event or action follows another, the first causes the second, also known as post hoc, ergo propter hoc.
“You can’t trust her argument—she’s lazy.”
Ad Hominem
Why it’s a fallacy:
It attacks the person, not the argument itself.
The writer shifts attention away from the real issue by introducing an unrelated topic.
Red Herring
Why it’s a fallacy:
It distracts from the central argument by inserting irrelevant information.
“My car broke down once, so that brand must be terrible.”
Hasty Generalization
Why it’s a fallacy:
A broad conclusion is drawn from limited evidence.
“If we allow students to redo one assignment, soon deadlines won’t matter at all.”
Slippery Slope
Why it’s a fallacy:
It exaggerates a small action into an inevitable disaster without proof.
“This policy is unfair because it’s unjust.”
Begging the Question
The claim is assumed true (or repeats itself) in the argument's premise rather than being supported by actual evidence.
“There is only one acceptable view on this issue, and no debate is needed.”
Dogmatism
Why it’s a fallacy:
It assumes that one solution is the only acceptable one, shutting down discussion or reasoning.
A writer exaggerates or misrepresents an opponent’s position to make it easier to defeat.
Straw Man
Why it’s a fallacy:
It attacks a distorted version of the argument rather than the actual claim.
“Don’t listen to his argument about taxes — he failed math in high school.”
Ad Hominem
Why it’s a fallacy:
It attacks the person’s character instead of addressing the argument.
“Everyone is buying this product, so it must be the best.”
Bandwagon Appeal
Why it’s a fallacy:
Popularity is used as proof instead of logical evidence or reasoning.
“Marriage should only mean one thing—because that’s what marriage means.”
Equivocation
Why it’s a fallacy:
It relies on half-truths or arguments that give lies an honest appearance to make the argument seem logical.
“The article only presents evidence supporting one side of the issue.”
Stacking the Deck
Why it’s a fallacy:
Relevant opposing evidence is ignored or excluded to ensure persuasion.
A speaker claims not to bring up an issue — but mentions it anyway to plant doubt.
Paralipsis
Why it’s a fallacy:
It sneaks a point into the argument while pretending not to address it directly.
“If we allow phones in class today, next year students won’t do any work at all.”
Slippery Slope
Why it’s a fallacy:
It exaggerates a small action into an inevitable, disastrous outcome without sufficient proof.
“If we let students choose their own research topics, soon they won’t follow any assignment guidelines, then academic standards will collapse, and the university will lose accreditation.”
Slippery Slope
Why it’s a fallacy:
It exaggerates a minor action into a catastrophic chain of events without demonstrating credible causal links.
“The policy must be effective because it works.”
Begging the Question
Why it’s a fallacy:
The reasoning is circular. The claim restates itself rather than offering independent evidence.
“Our organization is the only group that truly cares about this issue. Any other perspective is misguided and not worth considering.”
Dogmatism
Why it’s a fallacy:
It assumes one position is unquestionably correct and dismisses the need for argument or evidence.
“Environmental advocates want to regulate emissions. Clearly, they want to shut down all businesses and destroy the economy.”
Straw Man
Why it’s a fallacy:
The argument misrepresents the opponent’s actual claim (regulation) as an extreme position (destroying the economy), making it easier to attack.
“I won’t even bring up the rumors about my opponent’s financial scandals, but voters should ask themselves why those rumors exist.”
Paralipsis
Why it’s a fallacy:
The speaker claims not to discuss the issue while subtly inserting it to influence the audience.