Logical Fallacies

Question 0

Slippery Slope Fallacy

Answer 0

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

Question 1

Strawman Fallacy

Answer 1

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

Question 2

Special Pleading Fallacy

Answer 2

Moving the goalposts to create exceptions when a claim is shown to be false.

Question 3

The Gambler’s Fallacy

Answer 3

Believing that ‘runs’ occur to statistically independent phenomena such as roulette wheel spins.

Question 4

Black-or-White Fallacy

Answer 4

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

Question 5

False Cause Fallacy

Answer 5

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

Question 6

Ad Hominem Fallacy

Answer 6

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

Question 7

Loaded Question Fallacy

Answer 7

Asking a question that has an assumption built into it so that it can’t be answered without appearing guilty.

Question 8

Bandwagon Fallacy

Answer 8

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

Question 9

Begging the Question Fallacy

Answer 9

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

Question 10

Appeal to Authority Fallacy

Answer 10

Using the opinion or position of an authority figure, or institution of authority, in place of an actual argument.

Question 11

Appeal to Nature Fallacy

Answer 11

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

Question 12

Composition/Division Fallacy

Answer 12

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

Question 13

Anecdotal Fallacy

Answer 13

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

Question 14

Appeal to Emotion Fallacy

Answer 14

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

Question 15

Tu Quoque Fallacy

Answer 15

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

Question 16

Burden of Proof Fallacy

Answer 16

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

Question 17

No True Scotsman Fallacy

Answer 17

Making what could be called an appeal to purity as a way to dismiss relevant criticisms or flaws of an argument.

Question 18

The Texas Sharpshooter Fallacy

Answer 18

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

Question 19

The Fallacy Fallacy

Answer 19

Presuming that because a claim has been poorly argued, or a fallacy has been made, that it is necessarily wrong.

Question 20

Personal Incredulity Fallacy

Answer 20

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

Question 21

Ambiguity Fallacy

Answer 21

Using double meanings or ambiguities of language to mislead or misrepresent the truth.

Question 22

Genetic Fallacy

Answer 22

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

Question 23

Middle Ground Fallacy

Answer 23

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