1. Fallacies of Reasoning
Appeal to Tradition
Claims something is so because it has always been so
References to the Constitution or the Supreme Court are examples of this
Long-standing tradition is not, in and of itself, justification to accept the claim

2. Fallacies of Reasoning
Bandwagon
Assumes that because something is popular, it is therefore good, correct or desirable
Popular opinion cannot be taken as proof
Remember - everyone used to believe that the world was flat

3. Fallacies of Reasoning
Hasty Generalization
A conclusion based on incomplete evidence
One type is due to insufficient evidence
Another type is an assumption based on a belief something is good because it is a value - for example, democracy or privacy

4. Fallacies of Reasoning
Ad Hominem
Latin for “against the man”
Attacks the person rather than dealing with the real issue in dispute
If the person’s character or integrity can be a legitimate issue, it is not a fallacy

5. Fallacies of Reasoning
Begging the Question
Circular Reasoning
The claim and the reason for making the claim are the same
Example - “It is the moral thing to do because it is moral” - leaving the morality unproven
Example - “It’s the American way”

6. Fallacies of Reasoning
Red Herring
Introduces an irrelevant issue to divert attention from the subject under discussion
Comes from an old trick used by farmers in England to keep fox hunters and their hounds from galloping through the crops by dragging a smoked herring with a strong odor along the edge of the fields

7. Fallacies of Reasoning
Either-Or
Forces listeners to choose between two alternatives when more than two alternatives exist
Sometimes called a “false dilemma”
Statements often oversimplify a complex issue

8. Fallacies of Reasoning
Slippery Slope
Assumes that taking a first step will lead to subsequent steps that cannot be prevented
Speaker should provide evidence or reasoning to support the claim