Logical Fallacies

Question 1

False Analogy

Answer 1

Comparing two things that may be similar in some ways but remain different in other ways. (EX: Pens help you write. A drinking straw looks like a pen. Therefore, drinking straws can help you write.)

Question 2

Evading Burden of Proof

Answer 2

The party whose standpoint has been questioned must prove that it is acceptable, but does not do so. (EX: The youth of today are, by nature, lazy.)

Question 3

Simplification

Answer 3

The series of actual causes for an event are either reduced or multiplied to the point where there is no longer a genuine, causal connection between the alleged causes and the actual effect.

Question 4

Non Sequitur

Answer 4

It does not follow. (EX: Steve Johnson grew up in poverty. Therefore, he will make a fine President of the United States.)

Question 5

Either-Or/False Dichotomy

Answer 5

The claim presents an artificial range of choices. (EX: You’re either with us, or you’re against us.)

Question 6

Hasty Generalization

Answer 6

The scope of evidence is too small to support the conclusion. (EX: Fred, the Australian, stole my wallet. Thus, all Australians are thieves.)

Question 7

Double Standard

Answer 7

A set of principles permits greater opportunity or liberty to one than to another. (EX: These rules don’t apply to me since I’m older than you.)

Question 8

Poisoning the Well/Complex Question

Answer 8

Discredit what a person might later claim by presenting unfavorable information about the person. (EX: So, you still beating your wife?)

Question 9

False Authority

Answer 9

Use a biased, suspicious, or incredible source to defend a conclusion. (EX: Claim says “Aliens must have landed at Area 51 because the Mayor said so.” Warrant says, “Whatever the Mayor says is true.”)

Question 10

Loaded Language

Answer 10

A word or phrase is “loaded” when it has a secondary, evaluative meaning in addition to its primary, descriptive meaning. (EX: That beast of a penguin may just carelessly kill its offspring.)

Question 11

Red Herring

Answer 11

Irrelevant topic presented to distract audience from actual subject (EX: I recognize that the issue of race and police violence needs to be addressed, but the real question is whether or not athletes should kneel during the national anthem.)

Question 12

Bandwagon Effect

Answer 12

A and B believe, so C need not test belief. (EX: Others tolerate racism. Therefore, it’s okay for me to tolerate racism.)

Question 13

Circular Reasoning

Answer 13

Argument relies on premise that says the same thing as the conclusion. (EX: The Bible is the word of God because the Bible says so.)

Question 14

Flattery

Answer 14

Person attempts to compliment another in order to get her to accept the truth of a proposition. (EX: Your class was the best class I had all semester, Professor. I stopped by today in order to discuss my grade.)

Question 15

Slippery Slope

Answer 15

Takes stand against single condition and uses as support for the notion that other worse things will happen if first condition doesn’t exist. (EX: We’ve got to stop them from banning alcohol. Once they start banning one form of beverage, they’ll never stop. Next thing you know, they’ll be banning soft drinks too!)

Question 16

Veiled Threat

Answer 16

Threaten an opponent if they don’t agree with you. (EX: If you don’t believe we need curbside recycling in this city, you could mysteriously disappear.)

Question 17

Ad Hominem

Answer 17

Attack a person’s habits, personality, morals, character, ATTACK. (EX: His argument must be false because he swear and has bad breath.)

Question 18

Faulty Causality/Post Hoc, ergo Propter Hoc

Answer 18

The assumption that because one event follows another, the second necessarily causes the first. (EX: The admin closed the smoking court in our office, and layoffs have decreased this year; therefore, closing the smoking court caused a reduction in layoffs.)

Question 19

Straw Man

Answer 19

Misrepresenting an argument so that you can attack the misrepresentation rather than the actual argument. (EX: Senator says that we should not fund the attack submarine program. I disagree entirely. I can’t understand why he wants to leave us defenseless like that.)