Fallacies Of Thinking A fallacy is flawed logic or misguided thinking.

 Maintaining that because no one has ever proved a claim, it must therefore be false  Appeals to ignorance unfairly shift the burden of proof to someone else  Example: Show me one study that proves seat belts save lives. Appeal to Ignorance

 You are asking for something based on pity or emotions, not facts  This tugs on heartstrings  These are often heard in courts of law when a lawyer begs for leniency  Example: “Imagine, your honor, what it must have been like for him. If anyone deserves a break, my client does.” Appeal to Pity

 Something that is argued to be true, because some unnamed authority says it is true.  Example: “Buy Crest! It’s the best toothpaste because nine out of ten dentists prefer it.” Appeal to Authority

 Appeals to everyone’s sense of wanting to belong or be accepted  This suggests that everyone else is doing this or wearing that or going here or there, so you should, too  It’s the “cool thing” to do  Example: Everyone on the Lakers wears Brand X shoes … you should wear them, too! Bandwagon

 The argument/claim takes in everything and everyone at once, allowing no exceptions  Example: All teens spend too much time watching TV. Broad Generalization/ Glittering Generalities/ Hasty Generalization

 Assume in a definition or an argument, the very point you are trying to prove  Very “circular” reasoning  Example: I love Mr. Baldwin’s class because I’m always happy in there.  I’m always happy in there because I love Mr. Baldwin’s class.  (But what’s special about the class?) EE Circular Thinking

 The argument reduces a solution to just two possible extremes  Eliminates all the possibilities in between  Example: Either this community votes to build a new school or the quality of education will drop dramatically. Either-Or Thinking

 Building your argument with evidence or statements that contain part of the truth … but not the whole truth  Partly true, yet partly untrue  Leave out “the rest of the story”  Example: The new recycling law is bad because it will cost more money than it saves. (Maybe so; but it will also save the environment.) Half-Truths

 Beware of overly general phrases, such as “it’s a simple question of …” or “it all boils down to …” or “you must realize that … ” Intended to ward off those afraid to argue back.  Example: It’s easy to see that capital punishment protects society. Generalization /Oversimplification

 Argument attacks the man, not the foe’s argument.  Uses words that carry strong positive or negative feelings, frequently insulting  Attack can distract the audience and lead them away from valid arguments  Example: No one in his right mind would ever do anything that dumb. Slanted Language/ (Argumentum) Ad Hominem

 If an argument/claim comes from a recognized authority in the same field, great  But if the claim comes from a person famous in another field, it can be misleading  Example: Sports Hero: “I’ve tried every cold medicine on the market, and - believe me - nothing works like No Cold.” Testimonial

 You are “baited” with something attractive, but then it is "switched" for something less desirable.  Example: When a store advertises the availability of some wonderful product at a great price, but once you get there you find that none are left and all that remain are much more expensive items. Bait and Switch

 A form that does not change.  A “stereotyped” character has no individuality and fits the mold of that particular kind of person.  Example: A fat cop always has a donut in his hand Stereotype