Logical Fallacies by Definition

Do Not Use

100

You presumed that a real or perceived relationship between things means that one is the cause of the other.

False Cause

200

You assumed that one part of something has to be applied to all, or other, parts of it.

composition/division

300

You appealed to popularity or the fact that many people do something as an attempted form of validation.

bandwagon

400

You judged something as either good or bad on the basis of where it comes from, or from whom it came.

genetic

500

You presented two alternative states as the only possibilities, when in fact more possibilities exist

black-or-white

Logical

100

Sam told Tim to try the new cat food diet because she knew so many people who tried it and loved it.

bandwagon

200

You attempted to manipulate an emotional response in place of a valid or compelling argument.

Appeal to emotion

300

You used a double meaning or ambiguity of language to mislead or misrepresent the truth.

ambiguity

400

You made out like if we allow A to happen, then Z will eventually happen too, therefore A should not happen.

slippery slope

500

You argued that because something is 'natural' it is therefore valid, justified, inevitable, or ideal.

Appeal to nature

Fallacies

100

You said that 'runs' occur to statistically independent phenomena such as roulette wheel spins.

the gambler's fallacy

200

You attacked your opponent's character or personal traits instead of engaging with their argument. 

Ad hominem

300

You avoided having to engage with criticism by turning it back on the accuser--you answered criticism with criticism.

tu quoque

400

You moved the goalposts or made up an exception when your claim was shown to be false.

special pleading

500

You used a personal experience or an isolated example instead of a sound argument or compelling evidence.

anecdotal

In Your Essays

100

Presuming that because a claim has been poorly argued, or a fallacy has been made, that it is necessarily wrong.

the fallacy fallacy

200

You used the opinion or position of an authority figure or institution of authority, in place of an actual argument.

appeal to authority

300

You misrepresented someone's argument to make it easier to attack.   

Strawman

400

You asked a question that had an assumption built into it so that it couldn't be answered without appearing guilty.

loaded quesiton

500

You cherry-picked a data cluster to suit your argument or found a pattern to fit a presumption.

the texas sharpshooter

Please.

100

You made what could be called an appeal to purity as a way to dismiss relevant criticisms or flaws of your argument.

no true scotsman

200

You said that the burden of proof lies not with the person making the claim but with someone else to disprove.

burden of proof

300

Because you found something difficult to understand, or are unaware of how it works, you made out like it's probably not true.

personal incredulity

400

You made out like a compromise, or middle point, between two extremes, must be the truth.

middle ground

500

You presented a circular argument in which the conclusion was included in the premise.

Begging the question