1. Informal Reasoning

2. Fallacies The ten deadly fallacies Ad IgnorantiamClaiming something is true because it cannot be proved to be false Hasty generalizationGeneralizing from insufficient evidence Post hoc ergo propter hocConfusing a correlation with a casual connection Ad hominemAttacking/supporting the person rather than the argument Circular reasoningAssuming the truth of what you are supposed to be proving Special pleadingUsing double standards to excuse an individual or group EquivocationUsing language ambiguously False analogyAssuming that because two things are alike in some respects they are alike in other respects False DilemmaAssuming the only two black and white alternatives exist Loaded questionA question that is biased because it contains a built-in assumption

3. Ad Ignorantiam: Something is true on the grounds that there is no evidence to disprove it. The Communist witch hunt in the 1960’s “ There is nothing in his files to say he is not a communist” – Senator Joe McCarthy

4. Post hoc ergo propter hoc A follows B then B must be the cause of A Murder rate goes up after the abolition of capital punishment, therefore can we say that capital punishment is an effective deterrent It could be the case but we need more evidence

5. Smoking causes causes

6. Explain this As the number of churches in American cities increase so does the number of prostitutes!!!

7. Ad hominem You attack the supporters of an argument You may have a vested interest in something but that does not mean you cannot be fair.

8. Circular reasoning Assuming the truth in something you are supposed to be proving Page 126 in book

9. False Dilemma Assuming there are only 2 ways of solving something when there are other options Binary thinking Pro life/ pro choice

10. Loaded Question Do you always cheat in exams

11. Fallacies The ten deadly fallacies Ad IgnorantiamClaiming something is true because it cannot be proved to be false Hasty generalizationGeneralizing from insufficient evidence Post hoc ergo propter hocConfusing a correlation with a casual connection Ad hominemAttacking/supporting the person rather than the argument Circular reasoningAssuming the truth of what you are supposed to be proving Special pleadingUsing double standards to excuse an individual or group EquivocationUsing language ambiguously False analogyAssuming that because two things are alike in some respects they are alike in other respects False DilemmaAssuming the only two black and white alternatives exist Loaded questionA question that is biased because it contains a built-in assumption