Guess that Fallacy - Definition
A logical fallacy where someone attacks the person making an argument instead of addressing the argument itself
What is Ad Hominem
Circular Reasoning
Circular reasoning is a logical fallacy where the argument’s conclusion is used as its own evidence.
NAME THE FALLACY
“Listen, we shouldn’t trust anything that Marcus says about the recycling program. I mean, this is the same guy who couldn’t even keep his locker clean all year. If he can’t manage that, why would he know anything about environmental policies? I’m telling you, just ignore him completely.”
Fallacy: Ad Hominem
NAME THE FALLACY
“Look, this new training method must be effective. I’ve never heard anyone complain about it, so clearly it has no problems.”
Appeal to Ignorance
(Assuming something is true just because no evidence has disproved it.)
This dish traditionally sits at the center of most Thanksgiving meals and can be roasted, smoked, or fried.
Turkey
Making an assumption based on too little evidence.
What is Hasty Generalization
Red Herring
A distracting piece of information that pulls attention away from the main issue
NAME THE FALLACY
“If we allow students to retake one quiz, then they’ll want to retake every test. And if we let them retake every test, they’ll stop studying entirely. And if they stop studying, our whole school system will fall apart. So obviously, we can’t allow even one quiz retake.”
Fallacy: Slippery Slope
NAME THE FALLACY
“We shouldn’t listen to your plan for improving the school library. You’re only bringing it up because you want extra credit.”
Genetic Fallacy
(Judging an idea based on its origin or motive rather than its content.)
This annual parade, famous for its giant balloons, began in 1924 and is broadcast nationally.
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
An appeal to authority is a logical fallacy where someone argues that a claim must be true because an authority figure or expert says it is true, even if that authority is not actually reliable, relevant, or providing evidence.
What is Appeal to Authority
False Cause
Assuming that because two things happen together, one must have caused the other. (Assuming correlation implies causation)
NAME THE FALLACY (WITH WORD EVIDENCE)
“Look, the new student dress code has to be working. Why? Because Principal Andrews said it’s working, and she’s the principal. Principals always know what’s best for students. So her saying the policy works is proof that it works. We don’t need extra data or student opinions—her word is enough.”
Fallacy: Appeal to Authority
“If you don’t want to go to the party tonight, then you clearly don’t care about spending time with us.”
Guilt Trip Fallacy
(Using guilt instead of logic to force agreement.)
This flaky dessert made with spiced apples is one of the most common Thanksgiving pies in the United States.
Apple pie
An appeal to emotion is a fallacy where someone tries to persuade others by triggering emotions—such as fear, guilt, pity, anger, or excitement—instead of providing logical evidence or reasoning.
What is Appeal to Emotion
Slippery Slope
A slippery slope fallacy occurs when someone claims that one small action will lead to a chain of extreme, exaggerated, or unlikely consequences without providing evidence that those steps will actually happen.
NAME THE FALLACY (WITH WORD EVIDENCE)
“Ever since the school built the new gym, students have been getting lower grades. I mean, before the gym opened, test scores weren’t this bad. Now the gym is here and suddenly everyone’s grades drop? It’s obvious what’s happening. The new gym is distracting students and making them perform worse academically. Honestly, I think we should shut it down until grades go back up.”
Fallacy: False Cause
“My argument is obviously correct because every time I present it, nobody can prove me wrong in the moment.”
Shifting the Burden of Proof
(Forcing others to disprove a claim instead of providing evidence yourself.)
This U.S. state is the top producer of Thanksgiving turkeys, raising more than any other state each year.
Minnesota
A logical fallacy where someone misrepresents, exaggerates, or distorts another person’s argument, making it easier to attack. Instead of responding to what was actually said, they respond to a weaker “straw” version.
What is Strawman
False Dichotomy
A false dichotomy (also called a false dilemma) is a fallacy where someone presents only two options as if they are the only possible choices, when in reality there are more.
NAME THE FALLACY (WITH EXACT TEXTUAL EVIDENCE)
“Everyone keeps arguing about whether our school should switch to tablet-based textbooks, but that whole debate misses the real point. Why are we even talking about tablets when the cafeteria food is terrible? Honestly, the food situation affects us way more than textbooks ever will. Instead of worrying about screens or books, the school board should focus on fixing the lunch menu. That’s what actually matters.”
“And look, I’m not saying textbooks aren’t important, but seriously—until we solve the cafeteria issue, talking about digital learning is just a distraction. Students can’t learn on tablets if they’re too busy dealing with bad lunches. Anyway, my main point is that complaining about textbooks is kind of pointless when the real crisis is obviously the food.”
Fallacy: Red Herring
“Why are we even talking about tablets when the cafeteria food is terrible?”
“Our school should ban all school clubs. Think about it—if we focus only on academics, then students will get better grades, which means our school rating will rise, and then colleges will start accepting more of our students automatically.”
Faulty Causal Chain
(A series of unsupported assumptions linking one event to another.)
This Native American leader helped negotiate peace with the Pilgrims and attended the first Thanksgiving celebration.
Massasoit