Fallacies of Logic Flashcards
Appeal to Emotion
-use emotion (ex: pity, fear, & flattery) to argue instead of using reason
How can you find Appeal to Emotion?
By making misleading comparisons, using misleading/charged language, making statements in an emotional/passive way, using stories, relevant quotes, anecdotes, and metaphors.
Appeal to Tradition
-An argument is true because it has long been held to be true
-“We’ve always done it that way!”
Appeal to novelty
-new=true/good
Appeal to Nature
-natural=good
-unnatural=bad
Red Herring
-distraction from original issue
-pivoting
-avoid question and change subject
Appeal to Authority
-an argument is tru because someone with authority thinks so
Appeal to Motive
-saying that an argument is wrong by questioning the motive of the person who’s proposing the conclusion
Arguementum Ad Populum
-saying an argument is true just because many people think it is
-ex: “The majority of voters are in favor of this law, so it’s a good law.”
Ad Hominem
-discredit the person’s argument by discrediting the person (attack the person advocating for an argument to try and prove it wrong)
Cherry Picking
-when only data that says one side is right is used and other data that says it’s wrong aren’t used
-like unaccounted for variables
Unaccounted for Variables
-when a statement or comparison is made with limited facts about what is being compared
-ex: Climate change=global warming (there is more than just global warming as part of climate change)
False Dilemma
-when 2 conclusions are said to be the only possible options
-ex: Use our fertilizer or your crops will die.
Guilty by Association
-tries to confirm an accusation/claim by associating the person with something negative/perceived as negative
-ex: Your cousin is racist, so you are too!
Strawman
-an argument based on misrepresentation of an opponent’s position
-sets up a false point (straw man) that the arguer never made and attacks it instead of the original argument
-ex: This senator wants to cut back on Air Force because he thinks it is wasteful spending. I disagree. Why does he want to leave our country defenseless?
How do you identify a Strawman?
-“So you think…”
-oversimplifies
-takes out of context
-uses extreme version or fringe of an argument
-focuses on just one point
Slippery Slope
-a small step will lead to a chain of events resulting in a big change
-ex: If we make same-sex marriage legal, then what stops us from making robot-human marriage legal?
Appeal to Hypocrisy
-a certain position is wrong because the proposer fails to act in accordance with that position
-ex: Dogs are better than cats. (He owns a cat.)
Begging the Question
-circular reasoning
-when the conclusion of the argument is assumed in one of the premises
-ex: My car is awesome, therefore my car is cool.
Post Hoc (After this) Ergo (Therefore) Propter Hoc (Because of this)
-reach a conclusion of causation because 1 event followed another
-ex: It rained after I dropped my ice cream, so my ice cream falling caused it to rain.