Examples Of Fallacies

Question 0

People owning guns causes mass shootings.

Answer 0

Multiple Causation

Question 1

It’s Friday the 13th. That’s what caused me to fail the test.

Answer 1

Insufficient Cause

Question 2

I stubbed my toe and then someone sneezed. They sneezed because I stubbed my toe.

Answer 2

Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc

Question 3

The last meteor in Russia was in 1908. The last Cubs World Series was in 1908. The next meteor in Russia is coming in 2013, therefore the next Cubs World Series win will be in 2013.

Answer 3

Substitution Of Sign For Cause

Question 4

All Santa Barbarians love hybrid cars.

Answer 4

Hasty Generalization

Question 5

These grapes were picked at the height of the season, therefore this wine is going to be delicious.

Answer 5

Fallacy of Composition

Question 6

People in Santa Barbara are attractive, therefore everyone born in Santa Barbara will be attractive.

Answer 6

Fallacy of Composition

Question 7

Generally students in Santa Barbara like to party. Therefore, Cynthia likes to party.

Answer 7

Fallacy of Division

Question 8

I have a fever and body aches, therefore I have the bird flu.

Answer 8

Equivocal Sign

Question 9

My old boyfriend was acting weird and broke up with me. My new boyfriend is acting weird, therefore he is going to break up with me.

Answer 9

Constant Sign

Question 10

I am not going to get a ticket because I touched the roof while going through a red light.

Answer 10

Mystic Sign

Question 11

You got into a car accident because you didn’t go to church last Sunday.

Answer 11

Mystic Sign

Question 12

98% of people surveyed said that cookies are better than ice cream.

Answer 12

Unnamed Base

Question 13

To find out the average income of a resident of Santa Barbara County, we surveyed 300 homeowners in Montecito and Summerland.

Answer 13

Inadequate Sample

Question 14

75% of doctors recommend 5 Hour Energy.

Answer 14

Unnamed Base

Question 15

I want to test the rate of STD’s in college students in the U.S., so I surveyed college kids in Spain.

Answer 15

Faulty Sample

Question 16

The man is rich, so he owns a mansion. Since the man owns a mansion, he must be rich.

Answer 16

Affirming The Consequent

Question 17

If you get a graduate degree, you will get a great job.

If you don’t get a graduate degree, you will not get a great job.

Answer 17

Denying the Antecedent

Question 18

If you don’t wash your face, your skin will be congested

If your skin is congested, you must not wash your face.

Answer 18

Affirming The Consequent

Question 19

All women are bad drivers.
Lian is a woman.
Therefore, Lian is a bad driver.

Answer 19

Faulty Enthymeme

Question 20

You should take this Advil, because it will cure your headache.

How do I know it will cure my headache?

Because it’s an Advil, of course!

Answer 20

Petitio Principii (Begging the Question)

Question 21

“You are either with the U.S., or with the terrorists!”

Answer 21

Faulty Dilemma (Black and White Fallacy)

Question 22

All chocolate is delicious.
M&Ms are a kind of chocolate.
You shouldn’t eat M&Ms off of the ground.

Answer 22

Non-Sequitur

Question 23

Everyone who is anyone is driving a Prius. Therefore, drive a Prius now!

Answer 23

Bandwagon

Question 24

We can’t have pizza on Thanksgiving, because we’ve always had turkey.

Answer 24

Appeal To Tradition

Question 25

The Pope said to use contraception, therefore I use contreception.

Answer 25

Appeal To Authority

Question 26

Bigfoot doesn’t exist because we haven’t seen him.

Answer 26

Ad Ignorantium

Question 27

Ghosts don’t exist, because no one has seen one.

Answer 27

Ad Ignorantiam

Question 28

There is no way that there’s life on Mars.

Answer 28

Ad Ignorantiam

Question 29

The opera wouldn’t have sucked if the lighting would have been different.

Answer 29

Part-Whole Composition (Majoring On Minors)

Question 30

This PETA lecturer is not a vegan, therefore none of his points are valid.

Answer 30

Ad Hominem

Question 31

“You shouldn’t smoke.”

“Because you smoke, I should be allowed to!”

Answer 31

Tu Quoque

Question 32

When you have a proposition supported by 2 or 3 claims. 1 is strong, and 1 or 2 are weak. You gloss over the strong ones, and are strong on the weak ones with 1 or 2 facts.

Answer 32

Evidence Trap

Question 33

Distracting an opponent with an irrelevant point. A lot of people use as hominems as red herrings. Distract from the issues and focus ons person.

Answer 33

Red Herring

Question 34

Why should I study math? I don’t want to be a math teacher!

Answer 34

Red Herring

Question 35

Changing your stance.
“Women who are victims of a legitimate rape situation can’t get pregnant.”
“What I meant by legitimate rape is a 15 year old scared to death to tell her parents she is pregnant and may say she was raped.”

Answer 35

Groundshift

Question 36

“If you allow gays to marry, what’s next? Marrying dogs?”

Answer 36

Slippery Slope

Question 37

If you oppose gay marriage, you oppose love.

Answer 37

Straw Man