1. LOGICAL FALLACIES By Jennifer Lynn Abernethy

2. Part I: AVOIDING THE QUESTION

3. “Red Herring” INTRO OF IRRELEVANT POINT IN ARGUMENT MIGHT APPEAR TO PROVE SIDE (DOESN’T) EX: GRIZZLY BEARS CAN’T BE DANGEROUS– THEY’RE TOO CUTE.

4. “Ad Hominem” ATTACK ON OPPONENT’S CHARACTER/MOTIVES DOES NOT DISPROVE OPPONENT’S ARGUMENT EX: YOUR UNCLE’S OPINION ON MURDER DOESN’T MATTER BECAUSE HE WENT TO JAIL.

5. “Genetic Fallacy” CONDEMNING AN ARGUMENT BECAUSE WHERE, HOW, OR WHO BEGAN IT I CANNOT WEAR A BELT BECAUSE THE MILITARY BEGAN BELTS, AND I HATE THE MILITARY.

6. “Tu Quoque” (You Too) DISMISSES YOUR VIEWPOINT BECAUSE YOU ARE INCONSISTENT ABOUT IT DON’T TELL ME NOT TO SMOKE. YOU DO IT, TOO.

7. “Faulty Appeal to Authority” APPEAL TO AUTHORITY OF SOMEONE WHO HAS NO SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE OF AREA MY CAR MECHANIC SAYS TO FIX MY COMPUTER IT’S BEST TO GIVE IT A SWIFT KICK.

8. “Appeal to People” SOMEONE CLAIMS HIS VIEWPOINT IS CORRECT BECAUSE MANY AGREE WITH IT MANY PEOPLE VACATION IN FLORIDA; THEREFORE FLORIDA MUST BE THE BEST PLACE TO VACATION.

9. Part II MAKING ASSUMPTIONS

10. “Circular Reasoning” - “PROVING” AN ARGUMENT BY RESTATING IT - EX: P IS TRUE BECAUSE Q IS TRUE, AND Q IS TRUE BECAUSE P IS TRUE

11. “Equivocation” MEANING OF A WORD IS CHANGED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ARGUMENT EX: MEANING OF “RESPONSIBLE” IN AN ARGUMENT

12. “Loaded Question” SOMEONE ASKS A QUESTION WHICH ASSUMES THE ANSWER TO A SECOND QUESTION HAVE YOU STOPPED BEATING YOUR POOR DOG YET?

13. “Part-to-Whole” ASSERTS THAT WHAT IS TRUE IN PART MUST BE TRUE IN WHOLE EX: IF I CAN BREAK THIS STICK, THEN I CAN BREAK A BUNCH OF STICKS.

14. “Whole-to-Part” WHAT IS TRUE IN WHOLE IS TRUE IN PART EX: IF I CAN’T BREAK A BUNCH OF STICKS, I SHOULDN’T BE ABLE TO BREAK ONE STICK.

15. “Either-Or” ASSERTATION THAT WE MUST CHOOSE, WHEN REALLY THERE ARE MORE CHOICES. EITHER YOU’RE AN AMERICAN OR A COMMUNIST.

16. Part III STATISTICAL FALLACIES

17. “Hasty Generalization” GENERALIZES ABOUT A CLASS OR GROUP BASED ON SMALL SAMPLE ALL PLUMBERS ARE BRILLIANT. MINE CAN CALCULATE PI.

18. “Weak Analogy” CLAIMS ITEMS WHICH HAVE ONLY MINOR SIMILARITIES ARE THE SAME CLOUD IS 75% WATER; WATERMELON IS 75% WATER. A PLANE CAN FLY THROUGH A WATERMELON.

19. “Post-hoc-ergo-propter-hoc” “A” HAPPENED BEFORE “B”; THEREFORE “A” MUST HAVE CAUSED “B” THE ROOSTER CROWS EVERY MORNING. THEN THE SUN COMES UP.

20. “Proof by lack of evidence” SOMETHING IS TRUE BECAUSE NOTHING DISPROVES IT NO EVIDENCE THAT LIFE DOES NOT EXIST ON OTHER PLANETS; THEREFORE WE ARE NOT ALONE.

21. Part IV: PROPAGANDA

22. “Appeal to Fear” SOMEONE MOVES YOU TO FEAR THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT DOING SOMETHING EX: IF YOU DON’T CONVICT THIS MAN, YOU MAY BE HIS NEXT VICTIM.

23. “Appeal to Pity” URGES US TO DO SOMETHING BECAUSE WE PITY HIM OR SOMETHING ASSOCIATED WITH HIM. EX: IF YOU GIVE ME A TICKET, I WON’T BE ABLE TO DRIVE ANYMORE, AND I HAVE A FAMILY TO FEED.

24. “Bandwagon” DO SOMETHING BECAUSE EVERYONE ELSE IS DOING IT EX: PLEASE LET ME SEE THAT MOVIE. ALL MY FRIENDS’ PARENTS LET THEM SEE IT.

25. “Exigency” USES A TIME LIMIT AS A REASON TO DO WHAT HE WANTS 95% OFF FOR THE NEXT WEEK. HURRY WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!

26. “Repetition” REPEATED LOUDLY AND OFTEN ENOUGH TO HOPE THAT IT WILL BE BELIEVED EX: EAT SUGARLOOPS FOR BREAKFAST! “ FOR LUNCH! “ FOR SUPPER! “ ALL THE TIME! YOU WILL LOVE THEM”

27. “Transfer” ADVERTISER ASSOCIATES OUR FEELINGS OF SOMETHING WITH SOMETHING UNRELATED EX: AVERAGE JOE DRINKS BEER AND GETS A HOT GIRL.

28. “Snob Appeal” ENCOURAGES US TO THINK A PRODUCT WILL MAKE US BETTER FROM EVERYBODY ELSE EX: BUY BACON PERFUME. YOU’LL STAND OUT.

29. “Appeal to Tradition” BUY A PRODUCT BECAUSE IT IS ASSOCIATED WITH SOMETHING OLDER EX: FORD THUNDERBIRD: YESTERDAY, TODAY, TOMORROW.

30. “Appeal to Hi-Tech” URGES US TO BUY IT BECAUSE IT IS THE “LATEST THING” (ALTHOUGH NOT NECESSARLY BEST) EX: “LAUNDRY BALL” CLEANS YOUR CLOTHES WITH OUR PATENTED METHOD OF ….