Terms (Part 1)
This logical fallacy occurs when a claim is dismissed because the person making the claim acts or behaves in a way that is inconsistent with the claim.
What is tu quoque?
This logical fallacy occurs when someone claims that one event or action will inevitably lead to another, more extreme event or action.
What is a slippery slope?
"Rita sees everyone crossing the street even though the pedestrian crossing light is red. As she follows suit, a police officer gives her a ticket. Rita replies that she thought it was okay because she saw others doing it.
What is a bandwagon fallacy?
What is an appeal to tradition?
This logical fallacy occurs when an argument's conclusion is used as evidence to support itself.
What is circular reasoning?
This logical fallacy occurs when someone changes or exaggerates an opponent's position to make it easier to refute. This type of argument introduces an irrelevant position that nobody in the argument really believes and then attacks it.
What is a straw man?
Amy: "Mark stole my wallet."
Emily: "What makes you think it was him?"
Amy: "What proof do you have that it wasn't him?"
What is proving non-existence?
Bobby: "We should eat less beef. Raising cows requires a significant amount of water and land and emits enormous amounts of carbon."
Ashley: "So you want to force everyone to be a vegetarian?
What is a straw man?
This logical fallacy occurs when one appeals to someone who has no special knowledge in the area being discussed.
What is a faulty appeal to authority?
This logical fallacy occurs when someone argues that something is true or correct simply because the majority of people support it.
What is a bandwagon fallacy?
"You're clearly just too young to understand."
What is an ad hominem?
"The Nobel laureate and theoretical physicist Albert Einstein said peace is the bet strategy to solving geopolitical conflicts."
What is a faulty appeal to authority?
This logical fallacy occurs when someone, instead of providing evidence to prove their point, demands their opponent prove that something does not exist.
What is proving non-existence?
Also called the either/or fallacy, this logical fallacy occurs when only two options are presented when more possibilities exist.
What is a false dilemma?
"Get one now while supplies last!"
What is exigency?
"If I loan you a dollar today, then you will eventually ask me for ten dollars and then a hundred dollars. I don't want that to happen, so I can't loan you a dollar.
What is a slippery slope?
This logical fallacy occurs when someone attacks or criticizes the person making the argument instead of addressing the argument itself.
What is an ad hominem?
This logical fallacy occurs when the primary defense for doing something is because that is the way it has always been done.
What is an appeal to tradition?
Daughter: "I'm so hurt that Todd broke up with me."
Mother: "Just think of all the starving children in the world, honey. Your problems are pretty insignificant compared to that.
What is a red herring?
"You can either have a high-paying, boring job or a low-paying, fun job. The choice is yours."
What is a false dilemma?
This logical fallacy occurs when someone introduces an irrelevant point meant to distract from the real argument.
What is a red herring?
This logical fallacy occurs when nothing more than a time limit is given as a reason to act.
What is exigency?
Bob: Cars contribute to pollution, thereby harming our health. We really shouldn't be driving cars.
Steve: You're literally driving us in your car right now.
What is tu quoque?
"That news anchor is a good communicator because she speaks effectively."
What is circular reasoning?