fallacies

Question 1

fallacy

Answer 1

error in reasoning that may appear to be correct at first glance

Question 2

formal fallacy

Answer 2

error in reasoning in form or logical structure of argument alone, not in content.

Question 3

informal fallacy

Answer 3

error in reasoning NOT simply due to form of argument. must examine content of reasoning.

Question 4

appeal to authority fallacy

Answer 4

stating an argument from an authority, but authority cited is not actually an expert on the matter.

Question 5

ad hominem/argument against person fallacy

Answer 5

attacking person rather than argument, then concluding argument has been defeated.

Question 6

abusive ad hominem fallacy

Answer 6

attacking person’s character rather than content of argument.

Question 7

circumstantial ad hominem fallacy

Answer 7

attacking person’s circumstances rather than content of argument.

Question 8

guilt by association ad hominem fallacy

Answer 8

attacking person’s associates rather than content of argument.

Question 9

appeal to pity fallacy/argumentum ad misericordiam fallacy

Answer 9

attempts to evoke pity from audience and use that, rather than reason, to move audience to desired conclusion.

Question 10

begging the question fallacy

Answer 10

presenting an argument by employing the conclusion as a premise in support of itself. premise presupposes conclusion.

Question 11

red herring fallacy

Answer 11

arguer diverts attention from point at hand by introducing an irrelevant issue and throwing argument off track.

Question 12

straw man fallacy

Answer 12

in an argument, person A summarizes person B’s argument then criticizes. fallacy committed when:

a) A’s summary is an unfair representation of B’s argument. it is weakened, exaggerated, or distorted.
b) A attacks only unfair summary, not B’s original argument.
c) A concludes B’s original argument has been defeated.

Question 13

hasty generalization fallacy

Answer 13

prematurely jumping to a conclusion.

Question 14

slippery slope fallacy/domino argument

Answer 14

person objects to a position on the grounds that it will set off a chain reaction of undesirable effects, but no good reason for supposing the chain reaction will occur is given. (good enough reason = effect, not good enough reason = fallacy.)

Question 15

false dilemma/dichotomy fallacy

Answer 15

person assumes that there are only 2 alternatives to some matter, rules one out, then concludes in favour of the other alternative when unconsidered options exist.

Question 16

suppressed evidence fallacy

Answer 16

arguer leaves out evidence that would count heavily against the argument’s conclusion.

Question 17

equivocation fallacy

Answer 17

arguer uses word or phrase to mean one thing in an argument, but uses same word or phrase to mean something else at another point in the argument in such a way that premises are only true in one interpretation of the word, while conclusion follows only based on incorrect interpretation.

Question 18

composition fallacy

Answer 18

person assumes without justification that what is true of parts of the whole is also true for the whole.

Question 19

division fallacy

Answer 19

person assumes without justification that what is true of the whole is also true of parts of the whole.

Question 20

weak analogy fallacy

Answer 20

argument that relies on analogy but the two things being compared aren’t actually alike in their relevant aspects.

Question 21

appeal to people/argumentum ad populum fallacy

Answer 21

attempts to use irrational emotion of a crowd, rather than reason, to nudge people towards a conclusion.

Question 22

genetic fallacy

Answer 22

person attacks argument by disparaging it’s origin rather than the content of the argument, and this alone is offered as reason to reject the view.

Question 23

naturalistic fallacy

Answer 23

explaining something in simplistic terms of it’s “natural properties” such as pleasant or desirable. “good” cannot be defined in terms of intrinsic value.

Question 24

is-ought to fallacy

Answer 24

normative belief described in terms of prescriptive “ought to” statements. because of belief A you should do behaviour B.