Logical Fallacies 1
You misrepresented someone's argument to make it easier to attack.
strawman
After meeting two tourists from another country who were unfriendly, Jake says, “People from that country are all rude.”
Hasty Generallization
A logical fallacy in which an argument presents a complex situation as if there are only two possible choices, ignoring other reasonable alternatives. By rejecting one option, the arguer tries to force acceptance of the remaining option.
false dichotomy
“Running shoes and bicycles are both used for exercise and help people stay healthy. It would be ridiculous to require a license to buy running shoes. Therefore, requiring a license to ride a bicycle is also ridiculous.”
false comparison
After seeing one teenager litter in the park, Mr. Collins says, “Teenagers today have no respect for the environment.”
Hasty Generlization
Everyone is getting the most recent iPhone this weekend;therefore, I need to get the phone, too.
bandwagon
Lena says, “I got an A on my history test, so I’ll definitely be good at playing the guitar.”
Non Sequitur
A coach tells the team, “Either you dedicate every weekend to practice, or you don’t care about winning at all.”
False Dilemma
After the school installed new Wi‑Fi routers, the basketball team started losing games. A student claims, “The new routers are clearly causing the team to lose.”
Post Hoc
Karen argues, “Students should be allowed to use their notes during exams. After all, surgeons are allowed to look at their notes during surgery.”
False Analogy
A serious flaw in reasoning and constructing arguments.
What is a logical fallacy?
When told he should stop texting during class, Mark replies, “Why should I listen to you? You text during meetings all the time.”
tu quoque
“Jordan says we should have less homework. But obviously that means students will forget how to read, teachers will quit, the school will turn into a giant nap zone, and we’ll all graduate knowing nothing except how to scroll on our phones. So clearly, less homework is a horrible idea.”
strawman fallacy
Definition: Partway through an argument, the arguer goes off on a tangent, raising a side issue that distracts the audience from what's really at stake. Often, the arguer never returns to the original issue.
red herring
A student argues, “I deserve an A on this paper because I’m an A‑level student.”
Circular Reasoning
“Don’t listen to Mayor Thompson’s plan to improve public transportation. Have you seen his haircut? Anyone who chooses that hairstyle clearly can’t be trusted to run a city.”
ad hominem
During a discussion about reducing school lunch prices, a board member says, “We should really be focusing on improving our football team instead.”
Red Herring
You appealed to popularity or the fact that many people do something as an attempted form of validation.
bandwagon
You said that because an important person thinks something, it must therefore be true.
appeal to authority
A school board member argues, “We shouldn’t change the graduation ceremony. We’ve done it this way for 50 years, so it must be the best way.”
Appeal to Tradition
Definition "after this, therefore because of this."
Examples: "President Jones raised taxes, and then the rate of violent crime went up. Jones is responsible for the rise in crime.“
post hoc
You said that if we allow A to happen, then Z will eventually happen, too, therefore A should not happen
slippery slope
You presented a circular argument in which the conclusion was included in the premise.
begging the question
You attacked your opponent's character or personal traits in an attempt to undermine their argument.
ad hominem
A commercial claims, “This new vitamin supplement must be effective because a famous actor says it cured his fatigue.”
A Faulty use of Authority