LOGICAL FALLACIES

COINCIDENTAL CORRELATION Assumption that because one thing follows another that the one thing was caused by the other. Y follows X, therefore X caused Y. Correlation does NOT equal causation. Example: My cold disappeared after I ate some spinach. Spinach cured my cold.

ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE Assumption that a personal experience or an isolated incident is proof of something. I once experienced X, therefore X happens all the time. “The plural of anecdote is not data.” Example: My grandma smoked two packs of cigarettes a day and lived to be 95. Smoking isn’t as bad as doctors say it is.

CIRCULAR REASONING/BEGGING THE QUESTION Use of a claim as proof of itself. X is true because X says so./ Y is correct because Y. A claim cannot be its own proof. Example: Circular reasoning is bad because it’s not good.

PERSONAL INCREDULITY Assumption that because something is hard to understand, it must not be true. I am unaware of how X works, thus X is false. Lack of understanding does not equal disproof. Example: Evolution is hard to understand, thus evolution does not occur.

BURDEN OF PROOF Assumption that the burden of proof lies not with the person making a claim, but with someone else to disprove it. I say X is happening, you can’t prove me wrong so I am right. Inability to disprove a claim does not mean the claim is valid. Example: There is a teapot orbiting Mercury right now. That claim can’t be definitely proven wrong, so therefore there is a teapot orbiting Mercury.

APPEAL TO AUTHORITY Assumption that because an authority thinks something, it must be true. An authority thinks X, thus X is true. This does not entirely dismiss the claims of experts, or scientific consensus. Example: I know a doctor who believes vaccinations are unsafe, thus vaccinations are unsafe.

BANDWAGON Assumption that if many people believe something, it must be true. Q number of people believe X is true, thus X is true. This does not entirely dismiss the claims of experts, or scientific consensus. Examples: One million Americans believe leprechauns are real, thus leprechauns must be real.

SLIPPERY SLOPE Assumption that if one thing happens something extreme will follow. If A happens then Z will surely follow. Discussing extreme hypotheticals does not disprove a claim. Example: If we allow same-sex couples to get married, then people will soon be allowed to marry their cars.

NAME THAT FALLACY!