Logical Fallacies

Question 1

Ad Hominem

Answer 1

Attacking the arguer instead of the argument

You are too young to know any better

Question 2

Tu Quoque

Answer 2

Throwing the problem/criticism back onto the arguer

Oh, yeah? Well you lied too

Question 3

Poisoning the Well

Answer 3

Discrediting a source before it can attack

Question 4

Appeal to belief (Bandwagon, Appeal to Tradition)

Answer 4

Arguing that most people believe something, so it must be true
(We’ve been successful with this business models for years, so we should keep doing it.

Question 5

Ad Populum

Answer 5

(Appeal to the people)—appealing to the beliefs of the majority

Question 6

Appeal to Emotion

Answer 6

Not using logic to provoke an emotional response
(If we don’t do something, we are doomed)
Appeal to fear, hope, vanity, etc.

Question 7

Circular Reasoning (Begging the Question)

Answer 7

Using the arguments conclusion in premise of the argument

This is a good idea because it gives us what we want. It gives us what we want, so it must be good

Question 8

Either/Or (False Dichotomy, False Dilemma, False Binary)

Answer 8

Not considering all alternatives

You ar either with us or against us

Question 9

Slippery Slope

Answer 9

Imagining an illogical chain of events

First we will lose our access, and then we will never get it back, which will result in chaos

Question 10

Red Herring (Digression)

Answer 10

Arguing something different from the main argument

Okay, but what about this

Question 11

Straw Man

Answer 11

Changing (modifying) the argument and attacking the new argument
(I can’t go to the game? You just want me to be miserable.)

Question 12

Moving the Goal Posts

Answer 12

Changing the conditions of the original argument

Question 13

Faulty Analogy

Answer 13

Using an analogy that is not equal to the argument

Running a family is like running a business

Question 14

Argument from Ignorance

Answer 14

Arguing something is true because it cannot be proven false, or vice versa
(This test is rigged. Why else would people flumk it? Prove me wrong)

Question 15

Hasty Generalization (Anecdotal)

Answer 15

Not using a sufficient sample size to justify the argument

Many people don’t agree with that

Question 16

Argument

Answer 16

Using a singular experience to serve an entire argument

Question 17

Cherry Picking

Answer 17

Using hand-picked evidence while ignoring contradictory evidence or even the majority of evidence

Question 18

Confirmation Bias

Answer 18

Finding evidence by wittingly or unwittingly looking for evidence in a location where evidence is most likely to support your argument

Question 19

Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc (Faulty Casual)

Answer 19

Assuming something is the cause of something else just because it came before it
(Everyone who takes Latin ends up in the top 10% of the school academically; therefore, Latin makes people smart.)

Question 20

Faulty Appeal to Authority

Answer 20

Referencing an authority who is not reliable (biased, not an expert, outlier of the group)
(Mr. Birrer says that too much homework has a negative effect on mental health. (Mr. Birrer does not have a mental health degree))

Question 21

Non Sequitur

Answer 21

(Does not follow) Having a conclusion that does not follow from the premises
I am tired, so we should not have the test

Question 22

Half Truth

Answer 22

Misleading by leaving out key points/facts/contexts

Toothpaste is poison