Logical Faliciies

Question 1

Strawman

Answer 1

Misrepresenting someone’s argument to make it easier to attack.

Question 2

Slippery Slope

Answer 2

Asserting that if we allow A to happen, then Z will consequently happen too, therefore A should not happen.

Question 3

Special Pleading

Answer 3

Moving the goalposts or making up exceptions when a claim is shown to be false.

Question 4

Black-or-white

Answer 4

Where two alternative states are presented as the only possibilities, when in fact more possibilities exist.

Question 5

False Cause

Answer 5

Presuming that a real or perceived relationship between things means that one is the cause of the other.

Question 6

Ad Hominem

Answer 6

Attacking your opponent’s character or personal traits in an attempt to undermine their argument.

Question 7

Bandwagon

Answer 7

Appealing to popularity or the fact that many people do something as an attempted form of validation.

Question 8

Begging the Question

Answer 8

A circular argument in which the conclusion is included in the premise.

Question 9

Appeal to Authority

Answer 9

Saying that because an authority thinks something, it must therefore be true.

Question 10

Appeal to nature

Answer 10

Making the argument that because something is ‘natural’ it is therefore valid, justified, inevitable, good, or ideal.

Question 11

Composition/division

Answer 11

Assuming that what’s true about one part of something has to be applied to all, or other, parts of it.

Question 12

Anecdotal

Answer 12

Using personal experience or an isolated example instead of a valid argument, especially to dismiss statistics.

Question 13

Appeal to Emotion

Answer 13

Manipulating an emotional response in place of a valid or compelling argument.

Question 14

Tu Quoque

Answer 14

Avoiding having to engage with criticism by turning it back on the accuser – answering criticism with criticism.

Question 15

Burden of Proof

Answer 15

Saying that the burden of proof lies not with the person making the claim, but with someone else to disprove.

Question 16

The Texas Sharpshooter

Answer 16

Cherry-picking data clusters to suit an argument, or finding a pattern to fit a presumption.

Question 17

The Fallacy Fallacy

Answer 17

Presuming a claim to be necessarily wrong because a fallacy has been committed.

Question 18

Personal Incredulity

Answer 18

Saying that because one finds something difficult to understand, it’s therefore not true.

Question 19

Genetic

Answer 19

Judging something good or bad on the basis of where it comes from, or from whom it comes from.

Question 20

Middle Ground

Answer 20

Saying that a compromise, or middle point, between two extremes must be the truth.