Logic fallacies Flashcards
Bandwagon
Challenger uses the desire of the reader to “fit in” to in his argument (everyone else is doing it)
Ad Hominem
Attacking the person rather than the argument
Begging the question
Evidence makes same claim as proposition, argument just goes around and around
(the movie is popular because it makes so much money. It makes so much money because everybody likes it)
Either or argument
Simplyifing a complex problem and trying to make it black or white
(Either we go here for vacation or we dont go anywhere)
Half-truth
The intent is to deceive someone by purposefully leaving out important facts
Straw man
Challenger attacks a weaker argument rather than the original statement or position which is harder to argue against
Slippery slope
Challenger attacks the possible result or affect of an idea rather than the original position or agrument
Non sequitur
Conclusion does not logically follow the explanation
it rained so hard that Jennifer actually called me
Hasty generalization
Base an argument on insufficient evidence
all dogs are vicious because my neighbors dog bit a little kid
Post hoc - ergo propter hoc (after this, therefore that)
Assume that because one event follows another it was the direct cause of the first
(eating candy before a big test gets you better grades because i did that on my last test and got an A). It ignores possible other reasons like studying
Red herring
The challenger tries to change the subject of argument to something completely different
Equivocation
The author makes use of the double meanings of a word and changes the argument without telling the audience
False authority
Just because someone is knowledgeable in one area does not make them an authority in another
(MJ selling Hanes)
Tu quoque (you’re another)
Avoid the real argument by making similar charges against the opponent
(how can i get a ticket for speeding? I see cops speeding all the time)
