the argument’s assertion is unqualified by referring to all members in a category; often use the words all, every, always, never, and none
What is overstatement or stereotype?
100
showing only two choices where there are multiple
What is false dilemma?
100
an unsound argument or way of reasoning
What is a fallacy?
100
“All children love clowns.”
What is overstatement or stereotype?
100
“If we allow the government to register handguns, next it will register hunting rifles; then it will prohibit all citizen ownership of guns, thereby creating a police state or a world in which only outlaws have guns.”
What is slippery slope?
200
argue from insufficient evidence or by ignoring relevant evidence
What is HASTY OR FAULTY GENERALIZATIONS?
200
since A and B are alike in several ways, they must be alike in another way as well; often only focus on similarities and ignore significant differences
What is false analogy?
200
“to the man”; calling the opposing side unflattering names
What is ad hominem?
200
“Professor Redding’s students received A’s or B’s last semester. He must be an excellent teacher.”
What is forced hypothesis?
200
“We should throw out the entire city council. Since the members were elected, the city has gone into deficit spending.”
What is post hoc?
300
the explanation (hypothesis) is illogical or “forced” because either (1) sufficient evidence does not exist to draw any conclusion or (2) the evidence can be explained more simply by a different hypothesis
What is forced hypothesis?
300
“after this, therefore because of it”; time relationships are confused with cause and effect relationships
What is post hoc?
300
to argue that an action should be taken or a position accepted because “everyone is doing it”
What is bandwagon?
300
“Cats, if allowed to run free, can disturb the peace (fighting, howling at night), just like dogs."
What is false analogy?
300
“Clearly, lowering grading standards would be bad for students, so a pass/fail system should not be adopted.”
What is begging the question?
400
“it does not follow”; no recognizable connection because
(1) whatever connection the arguer sees is not made clear to others or because
(2) the evidence or reasons offered are irrelevant to the conclusion
What is Non Sequitur?
400
asking your audience to assume that part of your argument is true without supporting it; uses the fact is, obviously, as we can see
What is begging the question?
400
“to the people”; appealing to the audience’s emotions and ignoring the issue at hand by emphasizing the audience’s presumed shared values
What is ad populum?
400
“The Federal Reserve System must lower interest rates, or we will never pull out of the recession.”
What is false dilemma?
400
“Those crazy liberals at the ACLU just want all criminals to go free.”
What is ad hominem?
500
we should not do something because if we do, terrible consequences will occur
What is slippery slope?
500
introducing a side issue that is not relevant to the debate
What is red herring?
500
attributes to opponents incorrect and usually ridiculous views that they do not hold so that their positing can be easily attacked
What is straw man?
500
“Donna will surely get a good grade in physics; she earned an A in her biology class.”
What is non sequitur?
500
“Good, law-abiding Americans must be sick of the violent crimes occurring in our once godly society. But we won’t tolerate it anymore; put the criminals in jail and throw away the key.”