Fallacy 1
Misrepresenting someone's argument to make it easier to attack
What is strawman fallacy?
fallacy occurs when someone argues that a belief or action is correct or valid because it is popular or widely accepted, rather than providing logical reasoning or evidence to support it.
"Because Professor Knopp says it is true, it must be so..."
My mom is this school's biggest donor, so you should really reconsider that C you gave me on my latest paper.
Appeal to fear
Daily Double 1
Instead of addressing the scientific data or the policy implications, the politician responds by saying, "We shouldn't listen to this scientist's ideas; they're a known radical environmentalist, always pushing extreme agendas. Their research is clearly biased."
An argument that attacks the character of a person rather than his opinions or arguments
Personal Attack (ad hominem)
A commercial claims that a specific brand of cereal is the best way to start the day because athlete Michael Jordan says that it is what he eats every day for breakfast.
Appeal to authority
My uncle is a dermatologist and he says to take Tummy Tops laxatives instead of Mellow Malt because Tummy Tops contains calcium while Mellow Malt has aluminum and magnesium.
False authority
The Bible is true because it is the word of God, and we know God's word is true because it is in the Bible
Circular Reasoning
Lady Gaga is not a successful businesswoman because she dresses like a freak.
Ad hominem/ Personal attack
The speaker cites Dr. Emily Carter, a renowned astrophysicist, as an authority on the matter.
Appeal to authority
misrepresents the context from which a quotation is taken; putting words or ideas in people’s mouth/head; creating a “dummy” or fake or falsified argument or situation so you can attack it
What is a straw man fallacy?
If you fail this class, you won't graduate college and won't be able to get a good job and will have to steal and sell drugs to make a living and will spend the rest of your life in jail.
What is slippery slope fallacy
We cannot approve of the new recycling program on campus- the leader of the group pushing this program is a Communist!
What is ad hominem fallacy.
If the school board approves a new alternate block schedule to approve 8 block classes a week, then eventually they will force students to attend school 8 hours a day, 7 days a week!
Slippery slope
The writer/speaker threatens the audience with negative consequences if his claim is not accepted or believed
Appeal to fear
A conclusion based on the premise that if A happens, then eventually through a series of steps, B,C,D, and eventually Z will happen
What is Slippery Slope Fallacy
Daily Double 2
This fallacy occurs when your opponent over-simplifies or misrepresents your argument to make it easier to attack or refute. Instead of fully addressing your actual argument, speakers relying on this fallacy present a superficially similar -- but ultimately not equal -- version of your real stance, helping them create the illusion of easily defeating you.
Child: "Can we get a dog?"
Parent: "No."
Child: "It would protect us."
Parent: "Still, no." Child: "Why do you want to leave us and our house unprotected?"
Strawman
A triangle is a three-sided shape because it has three sides
circular reasoning
Presents people as authorities on products or issues; these authorities may be experts in a totally different field, though
False or improper Authority
Buckeye, Arizona, is facing a crisis. Our current city council is failing to protect our families and our community. They've allowed crime to spiral out of control, and our schools are falling apart. If we don't act now, our city will become a dangerous place to live, and our children will be left behind.
Appeal to fear or slippery slope
A news broadcaster says you can’t accept anything Bill O’Reilly says because he is just a hyper-conservative bullet-head.
Ad hominem fallacy/ personal attack
An error in reasoning that makes an argument invalid, often because it relies on flawed premises or uses irrelevant or deceptive tactics to persuade
What is a logical fallacy?
My grandfather smoked daily and ate heavy cream and lived to be 100 so smoking and eating fatty foods is good for you
over generalization