1. Or: how to win the internets
Informal Fallacies
Or: how to win the internets

2. Remember: there is no absolute true or false
Remember: there is no absolute true or false. This does not mean, however, that all arguments are equal.

3. An Informal Fallacy is a flaw in reasoning that makes an argument’s conclusion unconvincing.
Pointing these out on the internet leads to hilarious results.
Having these pointed out in your own arguments on the internet leads to having a sad.
Wut is it?

4. There are too many to list. Sry.
Kk, tell them to me

5. There are, however, a few important ones that we should know.
It isn’t important to memorize these, but it is important to know them when you see them—in other arguments as well as in your own!

6. Plain and simple: attacking a person instead of his or her argument
This is a favorite on the internet—both using it and pointing it out.
When you use this, you look cool and smart (ethos!) because hey, latin!
…but make sure you’re using it correctly.
Ad hominem

7. Yay, more Latin!
Also known as: the Bandwagon Appeal
Ad populum

8. Appeal to ignorance This is a refusal to accept the burden of proof.
Conspiracy theories!
Appeal to ignorance

9. Appeal to force / reward
This is a favorite among parents! Also, the foreign policy of the United States.
“If you do/do not accept ____, I will/will not _____.”
Appeal to force / reward

10. Stating something as true that assumes the question being argued has already been answered
Begging the question

11. Loaded question This one is fun, if you want to have a trololol
Phrasing the question so that a person cannot answer yes or no without getting into trouble
Loaded question

12. Creating false needs This is actually called marketing.
In short, this is making the listener believe that they need something—but they don’t.
Creating false needs

13. Dicto simpliciter Latin FTW!
Basically, this is oversimplifying things by generalizing something that is true in a simple situation into a complex situation where it isn’t necessarily so
Dicto simpliciter

14. equivocation More lulz
This is giving the appearance of truth to a flat out lie
equivocation

15. Simply put: making bad comparisons
False analogy

16. Posing a situation as binary when really there are a multitude of options
Another favorite of parents
False dilemma

17. This is drawing a conclusion from insufficient evidence
Hasty generalization

18. Non sequitur Latin latin latin “it does not follow”
This is finding a relationship between to facts that does not actually exist
Again, conspiracy theorists love doing this.
Non sequitur

19. This is posing an argument in such a way that a critic will look immoral or dishonest if she disagrees
Politicians love doing this
Poisoning the well

20. Saying that taking one step will necessarily lead to disastrous consequences
Another popular one in politics
Slippery slope

21. Straw man This is an internet favorite
It involves attacking an argument similar to, but weaker than, the one in question
Straw man

22. This involves drawing attention away from the problem at hand by pointing out other, usually worse problems abroad
Two wrongs make a right