Pathos
Ethos
Logos
Potpourri
Definitions
100
I’ve never seen an alien, so they must not exist.
What is an appeal to ignorance?
100
Before turning the floor over to my opponent, I ask you to remember that those who oppose my plans do not have the best wishes of the university at heart.
What is poisoning the well?
100
Organic foods are safe and healthy foods grown without any pesticides, herbicides, or other unhealthy additives.
What is a loaded label or definition?
100
America--love it or leave it!
What is a false dilemma?
100
Arguers pick out a part of the whole or a sample of the whole (often not a typical or representative part) and then claim that what is true of the part is true for the whole
What is a part for the whole argument?
200
Everyone cheats on their income taxes, so it must be all right.
What is an appeal to popularity / bandwagon?
200
A popular sports star may know a lot about football, but very little about shaving cream. His expertise on the playing field does not qualify him to intelligently discuss the benefits of aloe.
What is an appeal to false authority?
200
The rain came down so hard that Jennifer actually called me.
What is a non sequitur argument?
200
Eating five candy bars and drinking two sodas before a test helps me get better grades. I did that and got an A on my last test in history.
What is a post hoc argument?
200
These arguments may look only at a small group as representative of the whole or may look only at a small piece of the issue.
What is a hasty generalization?
300
MCC should pave the lot behind the welding building. Besides, I can never find a parking space on campus anyway.
What is a red herring?
300
This type of argument is relevant in court, for example, when a lawyer questions the honesty, credibility, or personal investment of an expert witness.
What is an ad hominem argument?
300
FREEBIE!
What is 300 free points for your team?
300
Either we go to Panama City for the whole week of Spring Break, or we don’t go anywhere at all.
What is a false dilemma?
300
This fallacy happens when the writer presents an arguable point as a fact that supports the argument. This error leads to an argument that goes around and around, with evidence making the same claim as the proposition.
What is begging the question?
400
I should receive an 'A' in this class. After all, if I don't get an 'A' I won't get the fellowship that I want."
What is an appeal to pity?
400
People from Quebec want to secede from Canada to get their own currency. Don’t they realize money isn’t everything?
What is a straw man argument?
400
If we force public elementary school pupils to wear uniforms, eventually we will require middle school students to wear uniforms. If we require middle school students to wear uniforms, high school requirements aren’t far off. Eventually even college students who attend state-funded, public universities will be forced to wear uniforms.
What is a slippery slope?
400
My dentist says she’s voting for the conservative candidate, so I will too.
What is an appeal to false authority?
400
A statement that does not logically relate to what comes before it.
What is a non sequitur argument?
500
This type of fallacy appeals to the fundamental beliefs, biases, and prejudices of the audience in order to sway opinion through a feeling of solidarity among those of the group.
What is an appeal to the people?
500
Candidate A claims that Candidate B cannot possibly be an advocate for the working people because he enjoys the opera more than professional wrestling. (Candidate B’s personal entertainment preferences probably have little if anything to do with his stance on labor laws.)
What is an ad hominem argument?
500
Forcing students to attend cultural events is like herding cattle to slaughter. The students stampede in to the event where they are systematically ‘put to sleep’ by the program.
What is a false analogy?
500
His lies are evident from the untruthful nature of his statements.
What is begging the question?
500
One event following another in time does not mean that the first event caused the later event.
What is a post hoc argument?
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