Examples 1
“You can’t trust John’s opinion on climate change—he’s not even a scientist.”
AD HOMINEM
“No one has proven aliens don’t exist, so they must be real.”
APPEAL TO IGNORANCE
"You know what you did was wrong, right?"
COMPLEX QUESTION
“I wore my lucky socks and then we won the game—my socks made us win!”
FALSE CAUSE
“You didn’t speak up against the policy, so you must support it.”
INCRIMINATING INDIFFERENCE
“It must be true because my doctor said so.”
APPEAL TO AUTHORITY
“Oh sure, evolution says we came from monkeys—how ridiculous!”
APPEAL TO RIDICULE
A person who believes in astrology only remembers times when horoscopes seemed accurate.
CONFIRMATION BIAS
There has been a long-standing war between fandoms to the point where you are either a Star Wars fan or a Star Trek fan.
FALSE DICHOTOMY
“People are too addicted to their phones; that’s why we need stricter internet laws.”
MISSING THE POINT
“We must have an afterlife—otherwise life would be meaningless.”
APPEAL TO CONSEQUENCE
"But why?"
"Because I said so"
ARGUMENTUM AD NAUSEAM
“Of course, you can have more time on your paper. I know how demanding football can be.”
“All cats are mammals. All dogs are mammals. Therefore, all cats are dogs.”
“Why worry about pollution when there are people who need jobs?”
RED HERRING
“If you care about your family, you’ll buy this life insurance plan.”
APPEAL TO EMOTION (FEAR, CONCERN, GUILT, ETC.)
“Everyone is switching to this phone plan—it must be the best one!”
“The sign said ‘Fine for parking here’, and so I parked there.”
EQUIVOCATION
"Stop yelling at her! She didn't mean any harm by it."
GOOD INTENTION
“If we allow students to redo homework, next they’ll expect to redo final exams!”
REDUCTIO AD ABSURDUM
You don't eat meat, you say? Good for you! By the way, nice leather jacket.
APPEAL TO HYPOCRISY
“You only think capitalism works because you’re rich.”
BULVERISM
“Everyone loves her because she is popular."
CIRCULAR REASONING
“Two of my friends got food poisoning from that restaurant, so it’s unsafe.”
“Poverty would end if everyone just worked harder.”
OVERSIMPLIFICATION