Logical Fallacies

Question 1

Slippery Slope

Answer 1

A conclusion based on the premise that if “A” happens, then eventually through a series of small steps “B-Z” will happen too. (Basically equating A to Z). SO if we don’t want Z to occur, A must not be allowed to occur either.

Question 2

What is this an example of:
If we ban hummers because they are bad for the environment eventually the government will ban all cars, so we should not ban hummers

Answer 2

Slippery Slope

Question 3

Hasty Generalization

Answer 3

A conclusion based on insufficient or biased evidence. In other words you are rushing to a conclusion before you have all of the relevant facts

Question 4

What is this an example of:
Even though it’s only the first day, I can tell this is going to be a boring course

Answer 4

Hasty Generalization

Question 5

Post Hoc. (Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc)

Answer 5

This is a conclusion that assumes that if A occurred after B, then B must have caused A

Question 6

What is this an example of:
I drank bottled water and now I am sick, so the water must have made me sick

Answer 6

Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc

Question 7

Begging the Question or Circular Reasoning

Answer 7

The conclusion that the writer should prove is already validated within the claim (Taking for granted something that needs proving)

Question 8

What is this an example of:
Lying is wrong because people should always tell the truth

Answer 8

Begging the Question/ Circular reasoning

Question 9

Either/ Or Thinking

Answer 9

A conclusion that oversimplifies the argument by reducing it to only two sides or choices

Question 10

What is this an example of: Either you love your job, or you hate it

Answer 10

Either/ Or Thinking

Question 11

False Analogy

Answer 11

Making a misleading analogy between logically unconnected ideas

Question 12

What is this an example of:
If we can clone mammals, we should be able to find a cure for cancer

Answer 12

False Analogy

Question 13

Red Herring

Answer 13

A diversionary tactic that avoids the key issues, often by avoiding opposite arguments rather than addressing them

Question 14

What is this an example of:
The level of mercury in seafood may be unsafe, but what will fishers do to support their families

Answer 14

Red Herring

Question 15

Argumentum Ad Misericordium (Argument towards pity)

Answer 15

Like a reverse ad hominem which also ignores the question. A fallacy in which someone tries to win support for an argument or idea by exploiting his or her opponent’s feelings of pity or guilt. It is a specific kind of appeal to emotion

Question 16

What is this an example of:
Oh, officer, there’s no reason to give me a traffic ticket for going too fast because I was just on my way to the hospital to see my wife who is in serious condition to tell her I just lost my job and the car will be repossessed

Answer 16

Argument Ad Misericordium

Question 17

Oversimplification

Answer 17

A drastically simple solution to what is clearly a complex problem

Question 18

What is this an example of:
We have had a balance-of-trade deficit because foreigners make better products than we do

Answer 18

Oversimplification

Question 19

Ad populum

Answer 19

This is an emotional appeal that speaks to positive or negative concepts rather than the real issue at hand

Question 20

What is this an example of:
If you were a true American you would support the rights of people to choose whatever vehicle they want

Answer 20

Ad populum

Question 21

Ad hominem

Answer 21

This is an attack on the character of a person rather than his or her opinions or arguments

Question 22

What is this an example of: Green Peace’s strategies aren’t effective because they are all dirty, lazy hippiness

Answer 22

Ad hominem

Question 23

Ignoring the Question

Answer 23

Similar to presenting the (Red Herring) Rather than answering the question that has been asked or addressing the issue at hand, the writer shifts focus, supplying an unrelated argument. In this way, the writer dodges the real issues of the debate

Question 24

What is this an example of:
During a press conference, a political candidate is asked a pointed, specific question about some potentially illegal fund-raising activity. Instead of answering the allegations, the candidate gives a rousing speech thanking all of his financial supporters. The speech was eloquent and moving, but shifted the focus from the issue at hand.

Answer 24

Ignoring the Question

Question 25

Non- Sequitur

Answer 25

don’t follow a logical sequence. The conclusion doesn’t logically follow the explanation. These fallacies can be found on both the sentence level and the level of the argument itself.

Question 26

What is this an example of:
The rain came down so hard that Jennifer actually called me.” Rain and phone calls have nothing to do with one another. The force of the rain does not affect Jennifer’s decision to pick up the phone.

Answer 26

Non-Sequitur

Question 27

Bandwagon Appeal

Answer 27

try to get everyone on board. Writers who use this approach try to convince readers that everyone else believes something, so the reader should also. The fact that a lot of people believe it does not make it so.

Question 28

What is this an example of:
“Fifty million Elvis fans can’t be wrong!” Of course they can. The merit of Elvis is not related to how many people do or do not like him or his music.

Answer 28

Bandwagon appeal

Question 29

Guilt by association

Answer 29

A form of ad populum. An informal inductive fallacy which asserts by irrelevant association and often by appeal to emotion, that qualities of one thing are inherently qualities of another.

Question 30

What is this an example of:
John is a con artist. John has black hair. Therefore, all people with black hair are con artists.

Answer 30

Guilt by association

Question 31

Argumentation Ad Ignoramus

Answer 31

Assuming that lack of evidence proves its opposite

Question 32

What’s this an example of:
UFO’s exist because no one has proved that they don’t

Answer 32

Argumentation Ad Ignoramus

Question 33

The Complex Question

Answer 33

A question that has a presupposition built in, which implies something but protects the one asking the question from accusations of false claims. It is a form of misleading discourse, and it is a fallacy when the audience does not detect the assumed information implicit in the question, and accepts it as a fact.

Question 34

What’s this an example of:
“Have you stopped beating your spouse?”

Answer 34

The complex question