At the Root of the Problem
An attempt to manipulate your audience's emotional response rather than building a valid argument.
What is an appeal to emotion?
What fallacy is this: "My grandfather smoked three packs of cigarettes per day, and he lived to be 102. So, obviously, cigarettes can't be that bad."
What is the anecdotal fallacy?
In this fallacy, you're either with me or against me.
What is the black-or-white fallacy?
When you ask somebody a question whose presumption hurts their case regardless of their answer, you've committed this fallacy.
What is the loaded question fallacy?
When you set up the counterargument in such a way that it can be easily countered by a single statement.
What is the strawman fallacy?
Purposely using double meaning in language to mislead or misrepresent an idea.
What is the ambiguity fallacy?
The presumption that a relationship between two things means one caused the other.
What is the false cause fallacy?
The refusal of information on the basis that you don't understand it is this fallacy.
What is the personal incredulity fallacy?
What fallacy is this: "Why are we listening to somebody who has never held a job, and still borrows money from their parents?"
What is the ad hominem fallacy?
Oh no! Rather than address a valid argument, you countered your opponent by arguing a completely different point in an attempt to change the subject and/or distract from the core argument.
What is the red herring fallacy?
What fallacy is this: "We should drive the speed limit, because that is the law."
What is begging the question (or circular logic)?
While sometimes valid, if too simplistic then a worst-case-scenario argument technically falls into this category.
What is the slippery slope fallacy?
If you judge an idea or person based on where it comes from, rather than its merits, you've committed this logical fallacy.
What is the genetic fallacy?
While sometimes the answer, the automatic assumption that a compromise is always the right answer is actually this fallacy.
What is the middle ground fallacy?
If you declare somebody's claim to be wrong because they argued it poorly, you've just committed this fallacy.
What is the fallacy fallacy?
Also called an Appeal to Purity, this fallacy claims that any idea or criticism that doesn't fit is simply irrelevant.
What is the No True Scotsman fallacy?
The acceptance of expert or authoritative statements without critical evaluation.
What is an appeal to authority?
What fallacy is this: "Oh, you don't need those pills. Just try this herbal ointment made from mint leaves, cayenne pepper, and garlic. It's better for you than some chemical compound from a lab!"
What is an appeal to nature?
The assumption that because many people believe something it validates the information.
What is the bandwagon fallacy?
This fallacy happens when somebody makes a claim, then insists that their opponent find evidence to disprove them.
What is the burden of proof fallacy?
This faulty belief assumes that statistically independent phenomena can have "runs" that influence the next result.
What is the gambler's fallacy?
Oh no! You started your research with an assumption, and gathered only data that supports your claim without even considering other sources. You have just committed this fallacy.
What is the Texas sharpshooter fallacy?
The assumption that because something is true for part of something, that quality is the same for all parts.
What is the composition/division fallacy?
If you avoid criticism of your argument by instead criticizing your opponent's ideas, you've committed this fallacy.
What is the tu quoque fallacy?
What fallacy is this: "Tim said he would get the highest grade on the exam, but when the results came back and he'd only gotten the third-highest grade he insisted it was because he'd had to sit in the last row and he didn't have his glasses. If he'd had those, then he definitely would have done better."
What is special pleading (also known as moving the goalposts)?