Common fallacies

Question 1

Ad hominem

Answer 1

Attacking the person rather than what’s in the argument

Question 2

Ad ignorantium

Answer 2

Arguing that a claim is true just because it has not shown to be false

Question 3

Ad misericordion

Answer 3

Appeal to pity

Question 4

Ad populum

Answer 4

“everyone is doing it so it must be right”

Question 5

Affirming the consequent

Answer 5

If p then q
q
therefore, p

(if I’m hot, then my balls are sweaty
my balls are sweaty
therefore, I’m hot)

p is the antecedent, q is the consequent

Question 6

Begging the question / circular argument

Answer 6

Using your conclusion as a premise

“clean up this mess”
“but why????”
“because it needs to be cleaned”

Question 7

Complex question

Answer 7

Posing a question in such a way that people cannot agree nor disagree with you without committing themselves to another claim you make

“are you voting for that incompetent candidate???”
u get it ;)

Question 8

Denying the antecedent

Answer 8

If p, then q
not p
therefore, not q

If I’m sexy as balls, then I’m cool
I’m not sexy as balls
Therefore I’m not cool

p is the antecedent, q is the consequent

Question 9

Equivocation

Answer 9

Using an ambiguous key term and then changing the meaning of that key term in the middle of your argument

“I know Evolution is true because we see evolution happen all the time” (not the same thing)

Question 10

Straw person

Answer 10

Refuting an argument that is different from the one that is being said by the opponent. A caricature of the opposing view - not the exact argument, but a variant of it

cats are great!! so you hate dogs??

Question 11

Red herring

Answer 11

Distracting from the main premise

Question 12

False cause

Answer 12

Any questionable conclusion about cause and effect

Question 13

False dilemma

Answer 13

Reducing the options you consider to just two, often opposed to each other and unfair to the people against whom the dilemma is posed

“America: love it or leave it”

Question 14

Emotive language (loaded language)

Answer 14

Language that is loaded with emotion, ultimately persuading them

“you’re the chosen ones, the others need to be rid of their impurities!!!!!”
“those parasites!!”

Question 15

Non sequitur

Answer 15

The conclusion is not related to the evidence

Question 16

Overgeneralising

Answer 16

Generalising from too few arguments

“my grandma is 92 and she smokes 3 packs a day, so smoking must be fine!!”

Question 17

Persuasive definition

Answer 17

Defining a term in a way that may seem to be straightforward but in fact is loaded.

“abortion is murder!!”

Question 18

Poisoning the well

Answer 18

Using loaded language to disparage (represent as worthless) an argument before even mentioning it

“don’t listen to him; he’s cheated on 3 different partners”

Question 19

Post hoc

Answer 19

One event seems to be the cause of another because one event took place before another (form of false causality)

Question 20

Attacking the person rather than what’s in the argument

Answer 20

Ad hominem

Question 21

Arguing that a claim is true just because it has not shown to be false

Answer 21

Ad ignorantium

Question 22

Appeal to pity

Answer 22

Ad misericordion

Question 23

“everyone is doing it so it must be right”

Answer 23

Ad populum

Question 24

If p then q
q
therefore, p

(if I’m hot, then my balls are sweaty
my balls are sweaty
therefore, I’m hot)

p is the antecedent, q is the consequent

Answer 24

Affirming the consequent

Question 25

Using your conclusion as a premise

“clean up this mess”
“but why????”
“because it needs to be cleaned”

Answer 25

Begging the question / circular argument

Question 26

Posing a question in such a way that people cannot agree nor disagree with you without committing themselves to another claim you make

“are you voting for that incompetent candidate???”
u get it ;)

Answer 26

Complex question

Question 27

If p, then q
not p
therefore, not q

If I’m sexy as balls, then I’m cool
I’m not sexy as balls
Therefore I’m not cool

p is the antecedent, q is the consequent

Answer 27

Denying the antecedent

Question 28

Using an ambiguous key term and then changing the meaning of that key term in the middle of your argument

“I know Evolution is true because we see evolution happen all the time” (not the same thing)

Answer 28

Equivocation

Question 29

Refuting an argument that is different from the one that is being said by the opponent. A caricature of the opposing view - not the exact argument, but a variant of it

cats are great!! so you hate dogs??

Answer 29

Straw person

Question 30

Distracting from the main premise

Answer 30

Red herring

Question 31

Any questionable conclusion about cause and effect

Answer 31

False cause

Question 32

Reducing the options you consider to just two, often opposed to each other and unfair to the people against whom the dilemma is posed

“America: love it or leave it”

Answer 32

False dilemma

Question 33

Language that is loaded with emotion, ultimately persuading them

“you’re the chosen ones, the others need to be rid of their impurities!!!!!”
“those parasites!!”

Answer 33

Emotive language (loaded language)

Question 34

The conclusion is not related to the evidence

Answer 34

Non sequitur

Question 35

Generalising from too few arguments

“my grandma is 92 and she smokes 3 packs a day, so smoking must be fine!!”

Answer 35

Overgeneralising

Question 36

Defining a term in a way that may seem to be straightforward but in fact is loaded.

“abortion is murder!!”

Answer 36

Persuasive definition

Question 37

Using loaded language to disparage (represent as worthless) an argument before even mentioning it

“don’t listen to him; he’s cheated on 3 different partners”

Answer 37

Poisoning the well

Question 38

One event seems to be the cause of another because one event took place before another (form of false causality)

Answer 38

Post hoc