Fallacies List Fallacies are illogical arguments that are in common usage. Fallacies are used by those who lack critical thinking skills, but they are also employed by those who wish to manipulate others.

Ambiguity Equivocation Non Sequitor Composition Division

Equivocation Words with multiple meanings or interpretations misconstrued. “The “Declaration of Independence” states that “all men are created equal,” so women shouldn’t be allowed to vote.”

I can’t believer you brought this up on my birthday!!! Non-sequitor Our national student loan debt is too high! We should do something to lower students’ payments. I can’t believer you brought this up on my birthday!!!

Composition “This burger has lettuce on it; Lettuce is a vegetable; Suggesting that if something is true about one part of something, it must also be true about the whole thing. “This burger has lettuce on it; Lettuce is a vegetable; Vegetables are good for you; Therefore, this burger is good for you.”

Division Similar to stereotyping: what is true of a whole is assumed to be true for all of its parts. “Samantha is German, and Germans drink a lot beer, so Samantha drinks a lot of beer.”

Presumption Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc Distorting the facts Many Questions Hasty Generalization Slippery Slope False Analogy Straw Man Special Pleading False Choice Oversimplification Red Herring

Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc Assumes that if one even preceded another, the first caused the second. “Dinosaurs went extinct 65 million years ago. My girlfriend cheated on me yesterday. If dinosaurs were still around, this never would have happened.”

Distorting the Facts I have an approval rating of over 90%!!!! Misleading use of facts in one’s favor. I have an approval rating of over 90%!!!! If you only ask my mother…

Many Questions Asking a question that assumes several premises that have not been demonstrated. “How many speedos did you steal form Mr. Page’s house last night?”

Hasty Generalization The size of the sample is too small to support the conclusion. “The fastest swimmer in school is ugly, so all fast swimmers are ugly.”

Slippery Slope Someone asserting that one event will inevitably lead to another without rational basis. “If you smoke marijuana, you’ll end up doing harder drugs.”

False Analogy In an analogy, a superficial similarity is demonstrated, suggesting some characteristic or element is shared when in reality, the comparison is meaningless. “Guys are like mosquitos; they go around to all these girls saying the same stuff.”

False Choice Suggesting that only two choices exist when, in fact, there are more. “Math is a tough subject – you either understand it or you don’t.”

Oversimplification Explaining an even by relying on casual factors that are insufficient to account for the event or by overemphasizing the role of one or more factors. “Coach says that the reason his team won their last game is because the team had a high carbohydrate meal before the game.”

Straw Man Reframing or re-wording your opponent’s words to make them easier to dismiss. He hates cattle ranchers! He’ll force us all to be vegetarians! He’s addicted to broccoli! People should eat more vegetables.

Red Herring Something intended to be misleading or distracting. Mr. Page: Why didn’t you turn in your essay today? Douglas McStudent: Global warming is what we should be worrying about.

Relevance You Too Genetic Appeal to Ignorance Ad Hominem Appeal to Authority Appeal to Fear Appeal to Tradition

You Too Accusing your opponent of hypocrisy instead of addressing their argument. “You can’t tell me to take a shower because you haven’t showered in three days!”

Genetic Is commited when an idea is either accepted or rejected because of its source, rather than its merit. The president tweeted “Covfefe,” therefore, Covfefe is a real word and not a typo!

Ad Hominem Appealing to one’s prejudices, emotions, or special interests. Attacking one’s character. “Of course Mr. Page is guilty! He owns a fidget spinner!”

Appeal to Ignorance The assumption of a conclusion or fact based primarily on lack of evidence to the contrary. Usually best described by, “absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.” “Although we have proven that the moon is not made of spare ribs, we have not proven that its core cannot be filled with them; therefore, the moon’s core is filled with spare ribs.”

Appeal to Authority Using an authority as evidence in an argument where the authority has no authority on the subject. “Kylie Jenner explained very clearly why voting in the mid-term elections will impact your retirement plan.”

Appeal to Fear Making threats to win your case. “If you don’t buy my 1984 Chevy Nova, I’ll run over your dog.”

Appeal to Tradition Using historical preferences of the people (tradition) either in general or specific as the historical preferences of a single individual as evidence that the historical preference is correct. “Marriage has traditionally been between a man and woman; therefore, gay marriage should not be allowed.”