Founders of Argument
This Greek philosopher believed argument could be treated as a science and is credited with inventing the enthymeme.
Who is Aristotle?
MTV’s show “Yo Mama,” where contestants traded insults, would frequently feature this fallacy based on attacking the person rather than the argument.
What is an ad hominem?
In statistics, this term refers to the number of participants included in a study or poll.
What is sample size?
This type of analogy directly compares two allegedly similar cases, moving from an evidence case to a conclusion about another case.
What is a literal analogy?
Referring to your friend as “slime” relies on this type of meaning based on associations and emotional implications rather than strict dictionary definitions.
What is connotative meaning?
Once teachers of persuasion for the children of powerful Greeks, this group’s name is now often used pejoratively for people who argue just for the sake of arguing.
Who are the Sophists?
Also called the “fallacy of the beard,” this fallacy occurs when someone argues there’s no meaningful difference between points along a spectrum—like claiming there’s no difference between owing one dollar and a million.
What is the continuum fallacy?
This adjective describes a sample that mirrors key characteristics—like age, gender, income, or ethnicity—so conclusions about the larger population can be made reliably.
What is representative?
Referring to the U.S. executive branch simply as “the White House” is an example of this rhetorical device that uses one associated object to represent another.
What is metonymy?
Calling mass firings “restructuring” is an example of this rhetorical technique that substitutes milder or less offensive language for harsh or unpleasant realities.
What is a euphemism?
This teacher of Plato is known for a method of reasoning—named after him—based on asking a series of questions and still used in some law schools.
Who is Socrates?
Criticizing a proposed law because it has an odd number of pages instead of addressing its substance would be an example of this fallacy that focuses on trivial details instead of important issues.
What is majoring on minors?
Starting a graph’s Y-axis at a number other than zero in order to exaggerate or mislead viewers is an example of this misuse of statistics.
What is a manipulated baseline?
Also known as metaphors, these analogies compare things from entirely different realms of experience.
What are figurative analogies?
Defining terrorism as “acts committed by terrorists” is an example of this tautological type of definition that explains a term by repeating it.
What is a circular definition?
Associated with the School of Names, this Chinese philosopher explored paradoxes of language and famously asked, “Is a white horse not a horse?”
Who is Gongsun Long?
Saying a priest cannot criticize your parenting because they have no children would be an example of this fallacy that dismisses someone’s argument due to circumstances about the speaker.
What is poisoning the well?
When NFL running back Peyton Hillis had a disappointing 2011 season after appearing on the cover of Madden, it illustrated this statistical tendency for extreme results to be followed by ones closer to the average.
What is regression to the mean?
Claiming that one athlete’s behavior reflects deeper problems with college basketball as a whole is an example of this type of argument that draws a broader conclusion from a single case.
What is an argument from example?
Pointing out that the word “robot” comes from a Czech word meaning forced labor illustrates this definitional approach that explains a word through its historical origin.
What is etymology?
In Confucian philosophy, this term refers to the ideal virtuous person or exemplary moral individual.
What/who is a Junzi?
A politician saying, “I won’t even bring up my opponent’s affair,” is using this rhetorical fallacy that mentions something by pretending not to mention it.
What is paralepsis?
This person lends their name to a paradox showing how trends in subsets of data can reverse when the data are combined.
Who is Simpson?
Often used in legal reasoning about precedent, this type of literal analogy argues that similar cases should receive similar treatment.
What is a judicial analogy?
Calling the Affordable Care Act “Obamacare” is an example of this rhetorical practice of characterizing an idea or policy by giving it a suggestive name.
What is labeling?