Logical Fallacies

Question 1

Anecdotal Fallacy

Answer 1

Using a personal experience or an isolated example instead of sound reasoning or compelling evidence

Question 2

Anne: “I am giving up extreme sports now that I have children. I think I will take up golf.”
Bill: “I wouldn’t do that. Do you remember Charles? He was playing golf when he got hit by a golf-cart. It broke his leg, and he fell over, giving himself a concussion. He was in hospital for a week and still walks with a limp. I would stick to paragliding!”

Answer 2

Anecdotal Fallacy

Question 3

Using a personal experience or an isolated example instead of sound reasoning or compelling evidence

Answer 3

Anecdotal Fallacy

Question 4

Appeal to probability

Answer 4

statement that takes something for granted because it would probably be the case

Question 5

Statement that takes something for granted because it would probably be the case

Answer 5

Appeal to probability

Question 6

Something can go wrong (premise).

Therefore, something will go wrong (invalid conclusion).

Answer 6

Appeal to probability

Question 7

argument from fallacy

Answer 7

assumes that if an argument for some conclusion is fallacious, then the conclusion is false

Question 8

assumes that if an argument for some conclusion is fallacious, then the conclusion is false

Answer 8

argument from fallacy

Question 9

If P, then Q.
P is a fallacious argument.
Therefore, Q is false

Answer 9

argument from fallacy

Question 10

Base Rate fallacy

Answer 10

making a probability judgment based on conditional probabilities, without taking into account the effect of prior probabilities

Question 11

making a probability judgment based on conditional probabilities, without taking into account the effect of prior probabilities

Answer 11

Base rate fallacy

Question 12

John is a man who wears gothic inspired clothing, has long black hair, and listens to death metal. How likely is it that he is a Christian and how likely is it that he is a Satanist?
If people were asked this question, they would likely underestimate the probability of his being a Christian, and overestimate the probability of his being a Satanist.

Answer 12

Base rate fallacy

Question 13

Conjunction fallacy

Answer 13

assumption that an outcome simultaneously satisfying multiple conditions is more probable than an outcome satisfying a single one of them

Question 14

assumption that an outcome simultaneously satisfying multiple conditions is more probable than an outcome satisfying a single one of them

Answer 14

Conjunction fallacy

Question 15

Linda is 31 years old, single, outspoken, and very bright. She majored in philosophy. As a student, she was deeply concerned with issues of discrimination and social justice, and also participated in anti-nuclear demonstrations.

Which is more probable?

Linda is a bank teller.
Linda is a bank teller and is active in the feminist movement.
The majority of those asked chose option 2

Answer 15

Conjunction fallacy

Question 16

Masked man fallacy

Answer 16

the substitution of identical designators in a true statement can lead to a false one

Question 17

the substitution of identical designators in a true statement can lead to a false one

Answer 17

Masked man fallacy

Question 18

Premise 1: I know who X is.
Premise 2: I do not know who Y is.
Conclusion: Therefore, X is not Y.

Answer 18

Masked man fallacy

Question 19

Unwarranted assumption fallacy

Answer 19

The fallacy of unwarranted assumption is committed when the conclusion of an argument is based on a premise (implicit or explicit) that is false or unwarranted

Question 20

To be on the cover of Vogue Magazine, one must be a celebrity or very beautiful.
This month’s cover was a celebrity.
Therefore, this celebrity is not very beautiful.

Answer 20

Affirming a disjunct

Question 21

If Bill Gates owns Fort Knox, then he is rich.
Bill Gates is rich.
Therefore, Bill Gates owns Fort Knox

Answer 21

Affirming the consequent

Question 22

If I have the flu, then I have a sore throat.
I have a sore throat.
Therefore, I have the flu.

Answer 22

Affirming the consequent

Question 23

Every C is B
Every C is A
So, some A is B

Answer 23

Existential fallacy

Question 24

We don’t read that trash. People who read that trash don’t appreciate real literature. Therefore, we appreciate real literature

Answer 24

Affirmative conclusion from a negative premise

Question 25

No fish are dogs, and no dogs can fly, therefore all fish can fly

Answer 25

Affirmative conclusion from a negative premise

Question 26

appeal to stone

Answer 26

dismissing a claim as absurd without demonstrating proof for its absurdity

Question 27

dismissing a claim as absurd without demonstrating proof for its absurdity

Answer 27

appeal to stone

Question 28

Speaker A: Infectious diseases are caused by microbes.
Speaker B: What a ridiculous idea!
Speaker A: How so?
Speaker B: It’s obviously ridiculous

Answer 28

appeal to stone

Question 29

argument from ignorance

Answer 29

assuming that a claim is true because it has not been or cannot be proven false, or vice versa

Question 30

assuming that a claim is true because it has not been or cannot be proven false, or vice versa

Answer 30

argument from ignorance

Question 31

P is too incredible (or: I cannot imagine how P could possibly be true); therefore P must be false.
I cannot imagine how P could possibly be false; therefore P must be true.

Answer 31

argument from incredulity

Question 32

If P were true then I would know it; in fact I do not know it; therefore P cannot be true.
If P were false then I would know it; in fact I do not know it; therefore P cannot be false.

Answer 32

Argument from self-knowing

Question 33

“There is no evidence of aliens, and therefore, aliens do not exist”

Answer 33

Absence of evidence

Question 34

Argument from incredulity

Answer 34

I cannot imagine how this could be true, therefore it must be false

Question 35

I cannot imagine how this could be true, therefore it must be false

Answer 35

Argument from incredulity

Question 36

Argument from repitition

Answer 36

signifies that it has been discussed extensively until nobody cares to discuss it anymore

Question 37

Argument from silence

Answer 37

where the conclusion is based on the absence of evidence, rather than the existence of evidence.[

Question 38

where the conclusion is based on the absence of evidence, rather than the existence of evidence.[

Answer 38

Argument from silence

Question 39

Jay: Dude, where are my car keys?
Bob: (says nothing)
Jay: I KNEW you took them!

Answer 39

Argument from silence

Question 40

argument to moderation

Answer 40

assuming that the compromise between two positions is always correct

Question 41

“Some would say that hydrogen cyanide is a delicious and necessary part of the human diet, but others claim it is a toxic and dangerous substance. The truth must therefore be somewhere in between.”

Answer 41

argument to moderation

Question 42

Ad hominem

Answer 42

the evasion of the actual topic by directing an attack at your opponent.

Question 43

the evasion of the actual topic by directing an attack at your opponent.

Answer 43

Ad hominem

Question 44

Begging the question

Answer 44

providing what is essentially the conclusion of the argument as a premise

Question 45

providing what is essentially the conclusion of the argument as a premise

Answer 45

Begging the question

Question 46

To allow every man an unbounded freedom of speech must always be, on the whole, advantageous to the State, for it is highly conducive to the interests of the community that each individual should enjoy a liberty perfectly unlimited of expressing his sentiments.”

Answer 46

Begging the question

Question 47

Burden of Proof

Answer 47

I need not prove my claim, you must prove it is false.

Question 48

I need not prove my claim, you must prove it is false.

Answer 48

Burden of Proof

Question 49

Circular Reasoning

Answer 49

when the reasoner begins with what he or she is trying to end up with; sometimes called assuming the conclusion.

Question 50

when the reasoner begins with what he or she is trying to end up with; sometimes called assuming the conclusion.

Answer 50

Circular Reasoning

Question 51

Wellington is in New Zealand.

Therefore, Wellington is in New Zealand.

Answer 51

Circular Reasoning

Question 52

Circular cause and consequence

Answer 52

where the consequence of the phenomenon is claimed to be its root cause

Question 53

where the consequence of the phenomenon is claimed to be its root cause

Answer 53

Circular cause and consequence

Question 54

Sleeping with one’s shoes on is strongly correlated with waking up with a headache.
Therefore, sleeping with one’s shoes on causes headache.

Answer 54

Circular cause and consequence

Question 55

Young children who sleep with the light on are much more likely to develop myopia in later life.
Therefore, sleeping with the light on causes myopia

Answer 55

Circular cause and consequence

Question 56

Continuum Fallacy

Answer 56

improperly rejecting a claim for being imprecise

Question 57

improperly rejecting a claim for being imprecise

Answer 57

Continuum Fallacy

Question 58

Fred is clean-shaven now. If a person has no beard, one more day of growth will not cause them to have a beard. Therefore Fred can never grow a beard.

Answer 58

Continuum Fallacy

Question 59

Correlation proves causation

Answer 59

faulty assumption that correlation between two variables implies that one causes the other

Question 60

faulty assumption that correlation between two variables implies that one causes the other

Answer 60

Correlation proves causation

Question 61

“I can’t help thinking that you are the cause of this problem; we never had any problem with the furnace until you moved into the apartment.”

Answer 61

Correlation proves causation

Question 62

The number of vaccines children are receiving is increasing, and the number of children who are being diagnosed with autism at some time after being vaccinated is on the rise. Therefore, vaccines must cause autism.

Answer 62

Correlation proves causation

Question 63

Suppressed correlative

Answer 63

where a correlative is redefined so that one alternative is made impossible

Question 64

where a correlative is redefined so that one alternative is made impossible

Answer 64

Suppressed correlative

Question 65

Person 1: “Things are either mysterious or not mysterious. Exactly when an earthquake will strike is still a mystery, but how blood circulates in the body is not.”
Person 2: “Everything is mysterious. There are still things to be learned about how blood circulates.”

Answer 65

Suppressed correlative

Question 66

Equivocation

Answer 66

the misleading use of a term with more than one meaning (by glossing over which meaning is intended at a particular time)

Question 67

the misleading use of a term with more than one meaning (by glossing over which meaning is intended at a particular time)

Answer 67

Equivocation

Question 68

A feather is light.
What is light cannot be dark.
Therefore, a feather cannot be dark.

Answer 68

Equivocation

Question 69

All jackasses have long ears.
Carl is a jackass.
Therefore, Carl has long ears.

Answer 69

Equivocation

Question 70

Ecological Fallacy

Answer 70

inferences about the nature of specific individuals are based solely upon aggregate statistics collected for the group to which those individuals belong.

Question 71

inferences about the nature of specific individuals are based solely upon aggregate statistics collected for the group to which those individuals belong.

Answer 71

Ecological Fallacy

Question 72

if a particular group of people is measured to have a lower average IQ than the general population, we conclude that a randomly selected member of the group is more likely to have a lower IQ than the average general population.

Answer 72

Ecological Fallacy

Question 73

Etymological Fallacy

Answer 73

the original or historical meaning of a word or phrase is necessarily similar to its actual present-day usage.

Question 74

the original or historical meaning of a word or phrase is necessarily similar to its actual present-day usage.

Answer 74

Etymological Fallacy

Question 75

From the fact that logos is Greek for “word”, Stuart Chase concluded in his book The Tyranny of Words[5] that logic was mere manipulation of words

Answer 75

Etymological Fallacy

Question 76

Fallacy of Accent

Answer 76

a specific type of ambiguity that arises when the meaning of a sentence is changed by placing an unusual prosodic stress, or when, in a written passage, it’s left unclear which word the emphasis was supposed to fall on.

Question 77

a specific type of ambiguity that arises when the meaning of a sentence is changed by placing an unusual prosodic stress, or when, in a written passage, it’s left unclear which word the emphasis was supposed to fall on.

Answer 77

Fallacy of Accent

Question 78

I didn’t take the test yesterday. (Somebody else did.)
I didn’t take the test yesterday. (I did not take it.)
I didn’t take the test yesterday. (I did something else with it.)
I didn’t take the test yesterday. (I took a different one.)
I didn’t take the test yesterday. (I took something else.)
I didn’t take the test yesterday. (I took it some other day.)

Answer 78

Fallacy of Accent

Question 79

Fallacy of Composition

Answer 79

assuming that something true of part of a whole must also be true of the whole

Question 80

assuming that something true of part of a whole must also be true of the whole

Answer 80

Fallacy of Composition

Question 81

All cells are aquatic. Therefore, all organisms (which are composed of cells) are aquatic.

Answer 81

Fallacy of Composition

Question 82

If someone stands up out of his seat at a cricket match, he can see better. Therefore, if everyone stands up they can all see better.

Answer 82

Fallacy of Composition

Question 83

If a runner runs faster, he can win the race. Therefore, if all the runners run faster, they can all win the race

Answer 83

Fallacy of Composition

Question 84

Fallacy of Division

Answer 84

assuming that something true of a thing must also be true of all or some of its parts.

Question 85

assuming that something true of a thing must also be true of all or some of its parts.

Answer 85

Fallacy of Division

Question 86

A Boeing 747 can fly unaided across the ocean.
A Boeing 747 has jet engines.
Therefore, one of its jet engines can fly unaided across the ocean.

Answer 86

Fallacy of division

Question 87

False Attribution

Answer 87

an advocate appeals to an irrelevant, unqualified, unidentified, biased or fabricated source in support of an argument.

Question 88

an advocate appeals to an irrelevant, unqualified, unidentified, biased or fabricated source in support of an argument.

Answer 88

False Attribution

Question 89

But professor, I got all these facts from a program I saw on TV once… I don’t remember the name of it though.

Answer 89

False Attribution

Question 90

Claim X is made.
Source Y, a fake or unverifiable source, is use to verify claim X.
Therefore, claim X is true.

Answer 90

False Attribution

Question 91

Fallacy of Quoting Context

Answer 91

refers to the selective excerpting of words from their original context in a way that distorts the source’s intended meaning.[

Question 92

False Authority

Answer 92

using an expert of dubious credentials or using only one opinion to sell a product or idea.

Question 93

using an expert of dubious credentials or using only one opinion to sell a product or idea.

Answer 93

False Authority

Question 94

In 1923, leading American zoologist Theophilus Painter declared based on his findings that humans had 24 pairs of chromosomes. From the 1920s to the 1950s, this continued to be held based on Painter’s authority,[25] despite subsequent counts totaling the correct number of 23.[26] Even textbooks with photos clearly showing 23 pairs incorrectly declared the number to be 24 based on the authority of the then-consensus of 24 pairs.

Answer 94

False Authority

Question 95

Smith says X is true
Smith is an expert
So X must be true

Answer 95

False Appeal to Authority

Question 96

False Dilemma

Answer 96

two alternative statements are held to be the only possible options, when in reality there are more

Question 97

two alternative statements are held to be the only possible options, when in reality there are more

Answer 97

False Dilemma

Question 98

“Either the nobles of this country appear wealthy, in which case they can be taxed for good; or they appear poor, in which case they are living frugally and must have immense savings, which can be taxed for good.”

Answer 98

False Dilemma

Question 99

False Equivalence

Answer 99

describing a situation of logical and apparent equivalence, when in fact there is none.

Question 100

describing a situation of logical and apparent equivalence, when in fact there is none.

Answer 100

False Equivalence

Question 101

“We all bleed red. We’re all no different from each other.

Answer 101

False Equivalence

Question 102

“They’re both soft, cuddly pets. There’s no difference between a cat and a dog.”

Answer 102

False Equivalence

Question 103

Fallacy of many questions (loaded question)

Answer 103

someone asks a question that presupposes something that has not been proven or accepted by all the people involved.

Question 104

someone asks a question that presupposes something that has not been proven or accepted by all the people involved.

Answer 104

Fallacy of many questions (loaded question)

Question 105

Where did you hide the gun? [assumes that you hid the gun]

How often do you do that? [assumes that you do it at least sometimes]

Answer 105

Fallacy of many questions (loaded question)

Question 106

Fallacy of the single cause

Answer 106

it is assumed that there is one, simple cause of an outcome when in reality it may have been caused by a number of only jointly sufficient causes.

Question 107

it is assumed that there is one, simple cause of an outcome when in reality it may have been caused by a number of only jointly sufficient causes.

Answer 107

Fallacy of the single cause

Question 108

The recent drop in crime in our neighborhood is due to better policing.

Answer 108

Fallacy of single cause

Question 109

Furtive Fallacy

Answer 109

outcomes are asserted to have been caused by the malfeasance of decision makers.

Question 110

outcomes are asserted to have been caused by the malfeasance of decision makers.

Answer 110

Furtive Fallacy

Question 111

“The new health care law was designed to destroy the United States.”

Answer 111

Furtive Fallacy

Question 112

Gambler’s Fallacy

Answer 112

the incorrect belief that separate, independent events can affect the likelihood of another random event

Question 113

the incorrect belief that separate, independent events can affect the likelihood of another random event

Answer 113

Gambler’s Fallacy

Question 114

If a fair coin lands on heads 10 times in a row, the belief that it is “due to the number of times it had previously landed on tails” is incorrect

Answer 114

Gambler’s Fallacy

Question 115

Historian’s Fallacy

Answer 115

occurs when one assumes that decision makers of the past viewed events from the same perspective and having the same information as those subsequently analyzing the decision

Question 116

occurs when one assumes that decision makers of the past viewed events from the same perspective and having the same information as those subsequently analyzing the decision

Answer 116

Historian’s Fallacy

Question 117

Claim X was made in the past.
Those who made the claim, did not take into consideration Y, which was not available to them at the time.
Therefore, this was a foolish claim.

Answer 117

Historian’s Fallacy

Question 118

You should have never taken the back roads to the concert. If you had taken the main roads, you would not have been stuck in all that traffic due to the accident.

Answer 118

Historian’s Fallacy

Question 119

Inflation of conflict

Answer 119

The experts of a field of knowledge disagree on a certain point, so the scholars must know nothing, and therefore the legitimacy of their entire field is put to question

Question 120

The experts of a field of knowledge disagree on a certain point, so the scholars must know nothing, and therefore the legitimacy of their entire field is put to question

Answer 120

Inflation of conflict

Question 121

Authority A disagrees with Authority B on issue X.

Therefore, we can say nothing meaningful about issue X.

Answer 121

Inflation of conflict

Question 122

My mom says that I should study for at least 2 hours each night, and my dad says just a half hour should be fine. Neither one of them knows what they are talking about, so I should just skip studying altogether.

Answer 122

Inflation of conflict

Question 123

If-by-whiskey

Answer 123

an argument that supports both sides of an issue by using terms that are selectively emotionally sensitive.

Question 124

an argument that supports both sides of an issue by using terms that are selectively emotionally sensitive.

Answer 124

if-by-whiskey

Question 125

incomplete comparison

Answer 125

in which insufficient information is provided to make a complete comparison.

Question 126

in which insufficient information is provided to make a complete comparison.

Answer 126

incomplete comparison

Question 127

“product X is better”

Answer 127

incomplete comparison

Question 128

inconsistent comparison (apples vs oranges)

Answer 128

where different methods of comparison are used, leaving one with a false impression of the whole comparison.

Question 129

where different methods of comparison are used, leaving one with a false impression of the whole comparison.

Answer 129

inconsistent comparison (apples vs oranges)

Question 130

intentionality fallacy

Answer 130

the insistence that the ultimate meaning of an expression must be consistent with the intention of the person from whom the communication originated

Question 131

the insistence that the ultimate meaning of an expression must be consistent with the intention of the person from whom the communication originated

Answer 131

intentionality fallacy

Question 132

if a 5-year old drew a picture of a cat, but I thought it looked more like a horse, I can’t judge the picture on the 5-year old’s intention for it to be a cat.

Answer 132

intentionality fallacy

Question 133

p or q.
p.
Therefore, not-q.

p or q.
q.
Therefore, not-p.

Answer 133

Affirming a disjunct

Question 134

Person 1: “All things are either X or not X.” (The correlatives: X–not X.)
Person 2: “I define X such that all things that you claim are not X are included in X.” (The suppressed correlative: not X.)

Answer 134

Suppressed correlative

Question 135

using multiple, jointly inconsistent arguments to defend a position

Answer 135

Kettle logic

Question 136

the belief that the outcomes of non-regulated random occurrences can be encapsulated by a statistic; a failure to take into account unknown unknowns in determining the probability of events taking place.

Answer 136

Ludic Fallacy

Question 137

organized competitive fighting trains the athlete to focus on the game and, in order not to dissipate his concentration, to ignore the possibility of what is not specifically allowed by the rules, such as kicks to the groin, a surprise knife, et cetera. So those who win gold medal might be precisely those who will be most vulnerable in real life.

Answer 137

example of the Ludic Fallacy

Question 138

assuming that whichever aspect of nature which has socially unpleasant consequences cannot exist. Its typical form is “if X were true, then it would happen that Z!”, where Z is a morally, socially or politically undesirable thing.

Answer 138

moralistic fallacy

Question 139

Eating meat harms animals and the environment, and so no one has physiological use for it

Answer 139

Example of moralistic fallacy

Question 140

Men and women ought to be given equal opportunities, and so women and men can do everything equally well.

Answer 140

example of moralistic fallacy

Question 141

Unfaithfulness is immoral, and so it is unnatural to feel desire for others when in a monogamous relationship.

Answer 141

example of moralistic fallacy

Question 142

argument in which evidence presented in response to a specific claim is dismissed and some other (often greater) evidence is demanded.

Answer 142

moving the goalposts

Question 143

what is found in nature is automatically assumed to be good

Answer 143

naturalistic fallacy

Question 144

when solutions to problems are rejected because they are not perfect

Answer 144

Nirvana Fallacy

Question 145

These anti-drunk driving ad campaigns are not going to work. People are still going to drink and drive no matter what.

Answer 145

example of Nirvana fallacy

Question 146

Seat belts are a bad idea. People are still going to die in car crashes.

Answer 146

example of Nirvana fallacy

Question 147

A occurred, then B occurred.

Therefore, A caused B

Answer 147

post hoc ergo propter hoc

Question 148

“I can’t help thinking that you are the cause of this problem; we never had any problem with the furnace until you moved into the apartment.” The manager of the apartment house, on no stated grounds other than the temporal priority of the new tenant’s occupancy, holds that the tenant’s presence has some causal relationship to the furnace’s becoming faulty

Answer 148

post hoc ergo propter hoc example

Question 149

suppose a person buys a good luck charm, does well on his exam, and then concludes that the good luck charm caused him to do well.

Answer 149

post hoc ergo propter hoc example

Question 150

Bill purchases a new PowerMac and it works fine for months. He then buys and installs a new piece of software. The next time he starts up his Mac, it freezes. Bill concludes that the software must be the cause of the freeze.

Answer 150

post hoc ergo propter hoc example

Question 151

Joan is scratched by a cat while visiting her friend. Two days later she comes down with a fever. Joan concludes that the cat’s scratch must be the cause of her illness.

Answer 151

post hoc ergo propter hoc example

Question 152

The Republicans pass a new tax reform law that benefits wealthly Americans. Shortly thereafter the economy takes a nose dive. The Democrats claim that the the tax reform caused the economic woes and they push to get rid of it

Answer 152

post hoc ergo propter hoc example

Question 153

The picture on Jim’s old TV set goes out of focus. Jim goes over and strikes the TV soundly on the side and the picture goes back into focus. Jim tells his friend that hitting the TV fixed it.

Answer 153

post hoc ergo propter hoc example

Question 154

an informal fallacy in which a proposition is repeatedly restated regardless of contradiction.[1] Sometimes, this may be repeated until challenges dry up, at which point it is asserted as fact due to its not being contradicted

Answer 154

proof by assertion

Question 155

This practice can be observed in the use of political slogans, and the distribution of “talking points”, which are collections of short phrases that are issued to members of modern political parties for recitation to achieve maximum message repetition. The technique is also sometimes used in advertising

Answer 155

proof by assertion

Question 156

submission of others to an argument too complex and verbose to reasonably deal with in all its intimate details

Answer 156

proof by verbosity

Question 157

a low probability of false matches does not mean a low probability of some false match being found

Answer 157

prosecutor’s fallacy

Question 158

a perpetrator is known to have the same blood type as a defendant and 10% of the population share that blood type, then to argue on that basis alone that the probability of the defendant being guilty is 90% an example of —–

Answer 158

example of prosecutor’s fallacy

Question 159

using a form of argument that, if it were valid, could be used more generally to reach an absurd conclusion.

Answer 159

proving too much

Question 160

an observer presupposes the objectivity of his own perspective when analyzing a behavioral event.

Answer 160

psychologist’s fallacy

Question 161

the experimenter is apt to suppose that the subject will respond to a stimulus or an order in the same way as he himself would respond in the circumstances.

Answer 161

example of psychologist’s fallacy

Question 162

Many life-long atheists presume that theists are less than truthful when those theists claim they have experienced God speaking to them.

Answer 162

example of psychologist’s fallacy

Question 163

a speaker attempts to distract an audience by deviating from the topic at hand by introducing a separate argument the speaker believes is easier to speak to.

Answer 163

red herring

Question 164

“Sure, we haven’t given raises in over five years to our employees. You know, we work really hard to make a good product. We try to ensure the best customer service, too.”

Answer 164

example of red herring

Question 165

“We need more revenue to support the programs that we have. Children are our future. Let’s support children.”

Answer 165

example of red herring

Question 166

“When you start saying things to me like I need to eat healthier or get more exercise, that says to me that you think I’m fat. I like me, and I like the way I look and more people should have better self esteem.”

Answer 166

example of red herring

Question 167

assuming all words refer to existing things and that the meaning of words reside within the things they refer to, as opposed to words possibly referring to no real object or that the meaning of words often comes from how we use them.

Answer 167

referential fallacy

Question 168

ascribes cause where none exists. The flaw is failing to account for natural fluctuations. It is frequently a special kind of the post hoc fallacy

Answer 168

regression fallacy

Question 169

The student did exceptionally poorly last semester, so I punished him. He did much better this semester. Clearly, punishment is effective in improving students’ grades.

Answer 169

example of regression fallacy

Question 170

The frequency of accidents on a road fell after a speed camera was installed. Therefore, the speed camera has improved road safety.

Answer 170

example of regression fallacy

Question 171

a fallacy of ambiguity, when an abstraction (abstract belief or hypothetical construct) is treated as if it were a concrete, real event or physical entity. In other words, it is the error of treating as a “real thing” something that is not a real thing, but merely an idea.

Answer 171

reification

Question 172

the argument that because some event has occurred, its occurrence must have been inevitable beforehand.

Answer 172

retrospective determinism

Question 173

When he declared himself dictator of the Roman Republic, Julius Caesar was bound to be assassinated.
Caesar was assassinated when he declared himself dictator. OR Sic semper tyrannis: this goes to show that all dictators will eventually be assassinated.

Answer 173

retrospective determinism example

Question 174

where a proponent of a position attempts to cite something as an exemption to a generally accepted rule or principle without justifying the exemption.

Answer 174

special pleading

Question 175

I’m not relying on faith in small probabilities here. These are slot machines, not roulette wheels. They are different.

Answer 175

example of special pleading

Question 176

Cocaine use should be legal. Like all drugs, it does have some adverse health effects, but cocaine is different from other drugs. Many have benefited from the effects of cocaine.

Answer 176

example of special pleading

Question 177

cause and effect are reversed. The cause is said to be the effect and vice versa

Answer 177

wrong direction

Question 178

Driving a wheelchair is dangerous, because most people who drive them have had an accident.

Answer 178

example of wrong direction

Question 179

Children that watch a lot of TV are the most violent. Clearly, TV makes children more violent.

Answer 179

example of wrong direction

Question 180

reach a conclusion from weak premises. Unlike fallacies of relevance, in fallacies of defective induction, the premises are related to the conclusions yet only weakly buttress the conclusions.

Answer 180

faulty generalizations

Question 181

The proportion Q of the sample has attribute A.

Therefore, the proportion Q of the population has attribute A.

Answer 181

example of faulty generalization

Question 182

an exception to a generalization is ignored

Answer 182

accident

Question 183

Cutting people with knives is a crime. →
Surgeons cut people with knives. →
Surgeons are criminals.

Answer 183

example of accident

Question 184

when a generalization is made true only when a counterexample is ruled out on shaky grounds

Answer 184

no true scotsman

Question 185

Person A: “No Scotsman puts sugar on his porridge.”
Person B: “But my uncle Angus likes sugar with his porridge.”
Person A: “Ah yes, but no true Scotsman puts sugar on his porridge.”

Answer 185

example of no true scotsman fallacy

Question 186

act of pointing at individual cases or data that seem to confirm a particular position, while ignoring a significant portion of related cases or data that may contradict that position.

Answer 186

cherry picking

Question 187

when a small number of survivors of a given process are actively promoted while completely ignoring a large number of failures

Answer 187

survivor bias

Question 188

ompanies that no longer exist are excluded from analyses of financial performance

Answer 188

example of survivor bias

Question 189

successes in a group have some special property, rather than just coincidence.

Answer 189

example of survivor bias

Question 190

if three of the five students with the best college grades went to the same high school, that can lead one to believe that the high school must offer an excellent education. This could be true, but the question cannot be answered without looking at the grades of all the other students from that high school, not just the ones who “survived” the top-five selection process.

Answer 190

example of survivor bias

Question 191

the analogy is poorly suited

Answer 191

false analogy

Question 192

P and Q are similar in respect to properties a, b, and c.
P has been observed to have further property x.
Therefore, Q probably has property x also.

Answer 192

example of false analogy

Question 193

Person A: “I think that people can have some affection for their cultural heritage.”

Person B: “You’re just like Hitler!”

Answer 193

example of false analogy

Question 194

basing a broad conclusion on a small sample

Answer 194

hasty generaliztion

Question 195

X is true for A.
X is true for B.
X is true for C.
X is true for D.
Therefore, X is true for E, F, G, etc.

Answer 195

example of hasty generalization

Question 196

if a person travels through a town for the first time and sees 10 people, all of them children, he may erroneously conclude that there are no adult residents in the town.

Answer 196

example of hasty generalization

Question 197

A person is looking at a number line. The number 1 is a square number; 3 is a prime number, 5 is a prime number, and 7 is a prime number; 9 is a square number; 11 is a prime number, and 13 is a prime number. Therefore, the person says, all odd numbers are either prime or square.

Answer 197

example of hasty generalization

Question 198

a conclusion is made of premises that lightly support it.

Answer 198

inductive fallacy

Question 199

involves describing an occurrence in vivid detail, even if it is an exceptional occurrence, to convince someone that it is a problem.

Answer 199

misleading vividness

Question 200

Anne: “I am giving up extreme sports now that I have children. I think I will take up golf.”
Bill: “I wouldn’t do that. Do you remember Charles? He was playing golf when he got hit by a golf-cart. It broke his leg, and he fell over, giving himself a concussion. He was in hospital for a week and still walks with a limp. I would stick to paragliding!”

Answer 200

example of misleading vividness

Question 201

an accurate generalization that comes with qualifications that eliminate so many cases that what remains is much less impressive than the initial statement might have led one to assume

Answer 201

overwhelming exception

Question 202

Our foreign policy has always helped other countries, except of course when it is against our National Interest…”
The false implication is that their foreign policy always helps other countries.

Answer 202

example of overwhelming exception

Question 203

a commonly used phrase, sometimes passing as folk wisdom, used to quell cognitive dissonance, conceal lack of thought-entertainment, move on to other topics etc. but in any case, end the debate with a cliche—not a point.

Answer 203

thought-terminating cliche

Question 204

attacking the arguer instead of the argument.

Answer 204

ad hominem

Question 205

a type of ad hominem where adverse information about a target is presented with the intention of discrediting everything that the target person says.[

Answer 205

poisoning the well

Question 206

Chris is a fascist so do not listen to him”,

Answer 206

example of poisoning the well

Question 207

where an assertion is deemed true because of the position or authority of the person asserting it.[

Answer 207

appeal to authority

Question 208

A is an authority on a particular topic
A says something about that topic
A is probably correct

Answer 208

example of appeal to authority

Question 209

B has provided evidence for position T.
A says position T is incorrect.
Therefore, B’s evidence is false.

Answer 209

example of appeal to authority

Question 210

where an assertion is deemed true or false based on the accomplishments of the proposer

Answer 210

appeal to accomplishment

Question 211

X is one extreme and Y is another extreme.
There is no definable point where X becomes Y.
Therefore, there is no difference

Answer 211

Continuum fallacy

Question 212

the fallacy of assuming that different degrees of “wrong” are the same

Answer 212

Wringer than wrong fallacy

Question 213

a logical fallacy that asserts that if your ideas provoke the establishment to vilify or threaten you, you must be right

Answer 213

Galileo fallacy

Question 214

“In baseball, we often hear that a player is ‘due’ because it has been awhile since he has had a hit, or had a hit in a particular situation.

“The flip side of this is the notion of the ‘hot hand,’ the idea that a string of successful outcomes is more likely than usual to be followed by a successful outcome. . . .

Answer 214

Variant of gambler’s fallacy

Question 215

their chances of having a girl are better, because they have already had three boys.

Answer 215

Gamblers fallacy example

Question 216

If by ‘war’ you mean the neocon-inspired slaughter, the bloody machinations of militarists, the hate from the Christian right, the mania of lockstep nationalism, then certainly I’m against it.

But if by ‘war’ you mean the efforts of our new, enlightened president to wind down the situation that he has inherited, and which are not so easy to just stop now that they are in motion, that are a proportionate response to the terrorist threat, the military actions in which our troops are going to be peace keepers in Iraq while most of them are reallocated to Afghanistan, the necessary control of Islamist extremists, or if you mean the removal of the tyrant of Libya, the nurturing of the Libyan people’s legitimate aspirations, and the aspirations of the Syrian people, then certainly I am for it.

That is my stand. I will not retreat from it. I will not compromise.”

Answer 216

Example of if by whiskey

Question 217

appeal to emotion

Answer 217

where an argument is made due to the manipulation of emotions, rather than the use of valid reasoning

Question 218

Power lines cause cancer. I met a little boy with cancer who lived just 20 miles from a power line who looked into my eyes and said, in his weak voice, “Please do whatever you can so that other kids won’t have to go through what I am going through.” I urge you to vote for this bill to tear down all power lines and replace them with monkeys on treadmills.

Answer 218

appeal to emotion

Question 219

The new PowerTangerine computer gives you the power you need. If you buy one, people will envy your power. They will look up to you and wish they were just like you. You will know the true joy of power. TangerinePower.

Answer 219

appeal to emotion

Question 220

The new UltraSkinny diet will make you feel great. No longer be troubled by your weight. Enjoy the admiring stares of the opposite sex. Revel in your new freedom from fat. You will know true happiness if you try our diet!

Answer 220

appeal to emotion

Question 221

Bill goes to hear a politician speak. The politician tells the crowd about the evils of the government and the need to throw out the peoople who are currently in office. After hearing the speach, Bill is full of hatred for the current politicians. Because of this, he feels good about getting rid of the old politicians and accepts that it is the right thing to do because of how he feels.

Answer 221

appeal to emotion

Question 222

Our new cutlery set will make you feel so good when you see it laid out on your dining table. ‘Style and Grace’ is the right thing for you.

Answer 222

appeal to emotion

Question 223

The Maki people of the South are known to be invading our towns! They are corrupting our children and taking our jobs!! Vote for me and I will eradicate this menace!

Answer 223

appeal to emotion

Question 224

Either P or Q is true.
Q is frightening.
Therefore, P is true.

Answer 224

appeal to fear

Question 225

a specific type of appeal to emotion where an argument is made by increasing fear and prejudice towards the opposing side

Answer 225

appeal to fear

Question 226

“You are either with us, or you are with the terrorists”

Answer 226

appeal to fear

Question 227

“If you continue to drink, you will die early as your father did.”

Answer 227

appeal to fear

Question 228

“If you cannot graduate from high school, you will live in poverty for the rest of your life.”

Answer 228

appeal to fear

Question 229

“Voting for him is the same as voting for the terrorists.”

Answer 229

appeal to fear

Question 230

If you tell a lie, then no one will ever believe what you say again.”

Answer 230

appeal to fear

Question 231

If we don’t go to war, our country will be destroyed.”

Answer 231

appeal to fear

Question 232

a specific type of appeal to emotion where an argument is made due to the use of flattery to gather support

Answer 232

appeal to flattery

Question 233

“Surely a man as smart as you can see this is a brilliant proposal.” (failing to accept the proposal is a tacit admission of stupidity)

Answer 233

appeal to flattery

Question 234

You should certainly be the one who washes the dishes – you are just so good at it!

Answer 234

appeal to flattery

Question 235

Salesguy: You should definitely buy this car. You look so good in it – you look at least ten years younger behind that wheel.
Tamera: I’ll take it!

Answer 235

appeal to flattery

Question 236

an argument attempts to induce pity to sway opponents

Answer 236

appeal to pity

Question 237

“You must have graded my exam incorrectly. I studied very hard for weeks specifically because I knew my career depended on getting a good grade. If you give me a failing grade I’m ruined!”

Answer 237

appeal to pity

Question 238

“Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, look at this miserable man, in a wheelchair, unable to use his legs. Could such a man really be guilty of embezzlement?”

Answer 238

appeal to pity

Question 239

“Lord Byron shouldn’t win the poetry competition: he doesn’t need the prize money.”

Answer 239

appeal to pity

Question 240

an argument is made by presenting the opponent’s argument in a way that makes it appear ridiculous.

Answer 240

appeal to ridicule

Question 241

Person 1 claims that X is true.
Person 2 makes X look ridiculous, by misrepresenting X.
Therefore, X is false.

Answer 241

appeal to ridicule

Question 242

Evolution is the idea that humans come from pond scum.

Answer 242

appeal to ridicule

Question 243

Those other cars look ridiculous. This is the only man’s car here.

Answer 243

appeal to ridicule

Question 244

Those clothes would make you look like a overdressed donkey.

Answer 244

appeal to ridicule

Question 245

a specific type of appeal to emotion where an argument is made through exploiting people’s bitterness or spite towards an opposing party

Answer 245

appeal to spite

Question 246

Why shouldn’t prisoners be forced to do hard labor? Prisons are full of scumbags!

Answer 246

appeal to spite

Question 247

Stop recycling! Aren’t you tired of Hollywood celebrities preaching to everyone about saving the Earth?

Answer 247

appeal to spite

Question 248

Why should benefits for certain students be reinstated, when I got nothing from the state and had to sacrifice to pay for my studies?

Answer 248

appeal to spite

Question 249

a specific type of appeal to emotion where a decision is made according to what might be pleasing to imagine, rather than according to evidence or reason

Answer 249

wishful thinking

Question 250

I wish X were true.

Therefore, X is true.

Answer 250

wishful thinking

Question 251

I know in my heart of hearts that our home team will win the World Series.

Answer 251

wishful thinking

Question 252

I really hope that I don’t have to spend my eternity with my Aunt Edna, who really loved me, but she drove me nuts with her constant jabbering.

Answer 252

wishful thinking

Question 253

I want P to be true.

Therefore, P is true.

Answer 253

wishful thinking

Question 254

where an assertion is deemed true or false based on an assumed pretense of equality

Answer 254

appeal to equality

Question 255

where a premise is dismissed by calling into question the motives of its proposer.

Answer 255

appeal to motive

Question 256

“That website recommended ACME’s widget over Megacorp’s widget. But the website also displays ACME advertising on their site, so they were probably biased in their review.” The thesis in this case is the website’s evaluation of the relative merits of the two products.

Answer 256

appeal to motive

Question 257

“The referee comes from the same place as (a sports team), so his refereeing was obviously biased towards them.” In this case, the thesis consists of the referee’s rulings.

Answer 257

appeal to motive

Question 258

“My opponent argues on and on in favor of allowing that mall to be built in the center of town. What he won’t tell you is that his daughter and her friends plan to shop there once it’s open.”

Answer 258

appeal to motive

Question 259

wherein judgment is based solely on whether the subject of judgment is ‘natural’ or ‘unnatural’

Answer 259

appeal to nature

Question 260

N is natural.
Therefore, N is good or right.
U is unnatural.
Therefore, U is bad or wrong.

Answer 260

appeal to nature

Question 261

I shop at Natural Happy Sunshine Store (NHSS), which is much better than your grocery store, because at NHSS everything is natural

Answer 261

appeal to nature

Question 262

where a proposal is claimed to be superior or better solely because it is new or modern

Answer 262

appeal to novelty

Question 263

“If you want to lose weight, your best bet is to follow the latest diet.”

Answer 263

appeal to novelty

Question 264

“The department will become more profitable because it has been reorganized.”

Answer 264

appeal to novelty

Question 265

“Upgrading all your software to the most recent versions will make your system more reliable.”

Answer 265

appeal to novelty

Question 266

“Things are bad with party A in charge, thus party B will bring an improvement if they’re elected.”

Answer 266

appeal to novelty

Question 267

“If you want to make friends, you have to wear the latest fashion and the trendiest gadgets.”

Answer 267

appeal to novelty

Question 268

“New is always better.”

Answer 268

appeal to novelty

Question 269

supporting a conclusion because the arguer is poor (or refuting because the arguer is wealthy).

Answer 269

appeal to poverty

Question 270

Family farms are struggling to get by so when they say we need to protect them, they must be on to something.

Answer 270

appeal to poverty

Question 271

The homeless tell us it’s hard to find housing. Thus it must be.

Answer 271

appeal to poverty

Question 272

The monks have forsworn all material possessions. They must have achieved enlightenment.

Answer 272

appeal to poverty

Question 273

All you need to know about the civil war in that country is that the rebels live in mud huts, while the general who sends troops against them sits in a luxurious, air-conditioned office.

Answer 273

appeal to poverty

Question 274

concluding that a statement is correct because the speaker is rich (or that a statement is incorrect because the speaker is poor).

Answer 274

appeal to wealth

Question 275

If you’re so smart, why aren’t you rich?

Answer 275

appeal to wealth

Question 276

This new law is a good idea. Most of the people against it are riff-raff who make less than $20,000 a year.

Answer 276

appeal to wealth

Question 277

Warren Buffett is hosting a seminar. This seminar is better than others, because Warren Buffett is richer than most people.

Answer 277

appeal to wealth

Question 278

where a proposition is claimed to be true or good solely because many people believe it to be so

Answer 278

Argumentum ad populum

Question 279

Nine out of ten of my constituents oppose the bill, therefore it is a bad idea.

Answer 279

Argumentum ad populum

Question 280

Fifty million Elvis fans can’t be wrong.

Answer 280

Argumentum ad populum

Question 281

Everyone’s doing it.

Answer 281

Argumentum ad populum

Question 282

In a court of law, the jury vote by majority; therefore they will always make the correct decision.

Answer 282

Argumentum ad populum

Question 283

Many people buy extended warranties, therefore it is wise to buy them

Answer 283

Argumentum ad populum

Question 284

Millions of people agree with my viewpoint, therefore it must be right.

Answer 284

Argumentum ad populum

Question 285

arguing that because two things share a property they are the same

Answer 285

Association Fallacy

Question 286

John is a con artist. John has black hair. Therefore, all people with black hair are con artists.

Answer 286

Association Fallacy

Question 287

Jane is good at mathematics. Jane is dyslexic. Therefore, all dyslexic people are good at mathematics

Answer 287

Association Fallacy

Question 288

Simon, Karl, Jared, and Brett are all friends of Josh, and they are all petty criminals. Jill is a friend of Josh; therefore, Jill is a petty criminal.

Answer 288

Association Fallacy

Question 289

Source S makes claim C.
Group G, which is currently viewed negatively by the recipient, also makes claim C.
Therefore, source S is viewed by the recipient of the claim as associated to the group G and inherits how negatively viewed it is.

Answer 289

Guilt by association

Question 290

Citizens of Country X won more Nobel Prizes, gold medals, and literary awards than citizens of Country Y. Therefore, a citizen of Country X is superior to a citizen of Country Y.

Answer 290

Honor by association

Question 291

inferring why an argument is being used, associating it to some psychological reason, then assuming it is invalid as a result.

Answer 291

Bulverism

Question 292

It is wrong to assume that if the origin of an idea comes from a biased mind, then the idea itself must also be a falsehood

Answer 292

Bulverism

Question 293

You claim that A is true.
Because of B, you personally desire that A should be true.
Therefore, A is false.

Answer 293

Bulverism

Question 294

You claim that A is false.
Because of B, you personally desire that A should be false.
Therefore, A is true.

Answer 294

Bulverism

Question 295

where a thesis is deemed incorrect because it was commonly held when something else, clearly false, was also commonly held

Answer 295

Chronological Snobbery

Question 296

Why must we accept medieval art as having any value when it emerged from the same period in which people burned witches and believed in fairies?

Answer 296

Chronological Snobbery

Question 297

(1) It is argued that p implies q.
(2) That p implies q was argued long ago when people also believed such absurdities as r, s, and t.
(3) We are modern and up-to-date and thoroughly rational and do not associate with such stupid, primitive, pre-rational, superstitious, iron-age thinking.
Therefore,
(4) We do not deign to suppose that p implies q.
(5) That which we do not deign to suppose to be true is untrue.
Therefore,
(6) p does not imply q.

Answer 297

Chronological Snobbery

Question 298

dismissing an argument due to the existence of more important, but unrelated, problems in the world.

Answer 298

Fallacy of relative privation

Question 299

Scenario S is presented.
Scenario B is presented as a best-case.
Therefore, Scenario S is not that good.

Scenario S is presented.
Scenario B is presented as a worst-case.
Therefore, Scenario S is very good.

Answer 299

Fallacy of relative privation

Question 300

Be happy with the 1972 Chevy Nova you drive. There are many people in this country that don’t have any car

Answer 300

Fallacy of relative privation

Question 301

Son: I am so excited! I got an “A” on my physics exam!
Dad: Why not an “A+”? This means that you answered something incorrectly. That is not acceptable!

Answer 301

Fallacy of relative privation

Question 302

B happened, and is worse than A.

Therefore A is justified.

Answer 302

Fallacy of relative privation

Question 303

“Stalin wasn’t as bad as Hitler”

Answer 303

Fallacy of relative privation

Question 304

“Women are stereotyped by the media, but it isn’t as big of a problem as poverty, wars, or human rights in the world!”

Answer 304

Fallacy of relative privation

Question 305

“Yes, the US is keeping secret prisons, but we’re not as bad as Saddam Hussein!”

Answer 305

Fallacy of relative privation

Question 306

“Barack Obama might be detaining people without trial and bombing civilians in other countries, but Bush did far worse.”

Answer 306

Fallacy of relative privation

Question 307

where a conclusion is suggested based solely on something or someone’s origin rather than its current meaning or context

Answer 307

Genetic Fallacy

Question 308

America will never settle down; look at the rabble-rousers who founded it.

Answer 308

Genetic Fallacy

Question 309

The origin of the claim is presented.

Therefore, the claim is true/false.

Answer 309

Genetic Fallacy

Question 310

Lisa was brainwashed as a child into thinking that people are generally good. Therefore, people are not generally good.

Answer 310

Genetic Fallacy

Question 311

He was born to Catholic parents and raised as a Catholic until his confirmation in 8th grade. Therefore, he is bound to want to defend some Catholic traditions and, therefore, cannot be taken seriously.

Answer 311

Genetic Fallacy

Question 312

insulting or pejorative language to influence the recipient’s judgment.

Answer 312

Judgmental Language

Question 313

Conscription is the only working way to have a reliable and efficient army. We are far safer when we are defended by our very own sons than by some mercenaries, who will just fight for pay.

Answer 313

Judgmental Languange

Question 314

an argument based on misrepresentation of an opponent’s position

Answer 314

Straw man fallacy

Question 315

Person 1 asserts proposition X.
Person 2 argues against a false but superficially similar proposition Y, as if an argument against Y were an argument against X.

Answer 315

Straw man fallacy

Question 316

Quoting an opponent’s words out of context—i.e., choosing quotations that misrepresent the opponent’s actual intentions

Answer 316

Straw man fallacy

Question 317

Inventing a fictitious persona with actions or beliefs which are then criticized, implying that the person represents a group of whom the speaker is critical.

Answer 317

Straw man fallacy

Question 318

Oversimplifying an opponent’s argument, then attacking this oversimplified version.

Answer 318

Straw man fallacy

Question 319

A: We should relax the laws on beer.
B: ‘No, any society with unrestricted access to intoxicants loses its work ethic and goes only for immediate gratification.

Answer 319

Straw man fallacy

Question 320

Prof. Jones: “The university just cut our yearly budget by $10,000.”
Prof. Smith: “What are we going to do?”
Prof. Brown: “I think we should eliminate one of the teaching assistant positions. That would take care of it.”
Prof. Jones: “We could reduce our scheduled raises instead.”
Prof. Brown: “ I can’t understand why you want to bleed us dry like that, Jones.”

Answer 320

straw man fallacy

Question 321

“Senator Jones 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.”

Answer 321

straw man fallacy

Question 322

Bill and Jill are arguing about cleaning out their closets:
Jill: “We should clean out the closets. They are getting a bit messy.”
Bill: “Why, we just went through those closets last year. Do we have to clean them out everyday?”
Jill: “I never said anything about cleaning them out every day. You just want too keep all your junk forever, which is just ridiculous.”

Answer 322

straw man fallacy

Question 323

Proponents of sex education want to give kids license to have sex with no consequences.

Answer 323

straw man fallacy

Question 324

improperly asserting a cause to explain a cluster of data.

Answer 324

Texas sharpshooter fallacy

Question 325

differences in data are ignored, but similarities are stressed.

Answer 325

Texas sharpshooter fallacy

Question 326

Beasts wild with hunger will cross the rivers,
The greater part of the battle will be against Hister.
He will cause great men to be dragged in a cage of iron,
When the son of Germany obeys no law.
Surely he must have had some vision of Hitler!

Answer 326

Texas sharpshooter fallacy

Question 327

SuperCyberDate.con determined that Sally and Billy are a great match because they both like pizza, movies, junk food, Janet Jackson, and vote republican.

Answer 327

Texas sharpshooter fallacy

Question 328

the argument states that a certain position is false or wrong or should be disregarded because its proponent fails to act consistently in accordance with that position

Answer 328

Tu quoque

Question 329

Person 1 is claiming that Y is true, but person 1 is acting as if Y is not true.
Therefore, Y must not be true.

Answer 329

TU QUOQUE

Question 330

Helga: You should not be eating that… it has been scientifically proven that eating fat burgers are no good for your health.
Hugh: You eat fat burgers all the time so that can’t be true.

Answer 330

TU QUOQUE

Question 331

Peter: “Based on the arguments I have presented, it is evident that it is morally wrong to use animals for food or clothing.”
Bill: “But you are wearing a leather jacket and you have a roast beef sandwich in your hand! How can you say that using animals for food and clothing is wrong!”

Answer 331

TU QUOQUE

Question 332

occurs when it is assumed that if one wrong is committed, another wrong will cancel it out

Answer 332

Two wrongs make a right

Question 333

Speaker A: You shouldn’t embezzle from your employer. It’s against the law.
Speaker B: My employer cheats on their taxes. That’s against the law, too!

Answer 333

Two wrongs make a right

Question 334

Speaker A: President Williams lied in his testimony to Congress. He should not do that.
Speaker B: But you are ignoring the fact that President Roberts lied in his Congressional testimony!

Answer 334

Two wrongs make a right

Question 335

Person 1 did X to person 2.
Therefore, Person 2 is justified to do X to person 1.

Person 1 believes that person 2 would do X to person 1.
Therefore, Person 1 is justified to do X to person 2.

Answer 335

Two wrongs make a right

Question 336

Jimmy stole Tommy’s lunch in the past.

Therefore, it is acceptable for Tommy to steal Jimmy’s lunch today

Answer 336

Two wrongs make a right

Question 337

It looks like the waiter forgot to charge us for the expensive bottle of champagne. Let’s just leave – after all, if he overcharged us, I doubt he would chase us down to give us our money back that we overpaid.

Answer 337

Two wrongs make a right

Question 338

The tendency to avoid options for which missing information makes the probability seem “unknown”

Answer 338

Ambiguity Effect

Question 339

I know that there is at best a moderate chance of my winning a local singing competition as the local singers are good. There is a competition in the next town but I do not know how good the singers are there. Rather than ‘risk it’ I just enter for the local competition.

Answer 339

Ambiguity Effect

Question 340

Most people would choose a regular paycheck over the unknown payoff of a business venture.

Answer 340

Ambiguity Effect

Question 341

If a student is reading reviews of professors online, and they have the option between a known teacher that is ranked average and a teacher who is new to the school, and is without ranking—they will likely choose the known one.

Answer 341

Ambiguity Effect

Question 342

If a board of directors is deciding whether to keep with the same strategy that is continuing to lose steam or take a chance on a new one—they’re likely to feel an urge to stick to what they’ve seen and understand. -

Answer 342

Ambiguity Effect

Question 343

Two cars are for sale. One of them has a Car Fax that’s okay—it shows a small accident, the other has none. A buyer is more likely to choose the one that’s known. - See more at: http://mikeyanderson.com/hacking-the-mind-by-understanding-biases-ambiguity-effect#sthash.p1Ygxljz.dpuf

Answer 343

Ambiguity Effect

Question 344

Smoking isn’t harmful. My grandfather smoked a pack a day and lived until 97

Answer 344

Anecdotal Fallacy

Question 345

You can’t prove that there aren’t Martians living in caves under the surface of Mars, so it is reasonable for me to believe there are.

Answer 345

Argument from ignorance

Question 346

You can’t prove that there isn’t a mirror universe of our own, so there must be one out there somewhere!
Read more at http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-ignorance-fallacy.html#Hc4Pl81AwhcH65kf.99

Answer 346

Argument from ignorance

Question 347

Israel is an ally of the United States; therefore, everything Israel does is good, and the United States should unquestionably back Israel in anything it does.
Read more at http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-ignorance-fallacy.html#Hc4Pl81AwhcH65kf.99

Answer 347

Argument from ignorance

Question 348

A woman living in Pennsylvania watches the nightly news, and sees reports of kidnappings and violence on the border between Arizona and Mexico. Her daughter lives in Arizona, several hours away from the border. Because the woman sees kidnappings and violence on the news, she tells her daughter that she better move out of Arizona or else she will be kidnapped.
Read more at http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-ignorance-fallacy.html#Hc4Pl81AwhcH65kf.99

Answer 348

Argument from ignorance

Question 349

When speaking to an audience who has never personally known a Jewish person, the speaker refers to Jewish people as being stingy, greedy, or otherwise obsessed with their money. The audience believes this assumption.
Read more at http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-ignorance-fallacy.html#Hc4Pl81AwhcH65kf.99

Answer 349

Argument from ignorance

Question 350

When the definition is made more difficult to understand than the word or concept being defined.

Answer 350

Failure to Elucidate

Question 351

Person 1 makes a claim.
Person 2 asks for clarification of the claim, or a term being used.
Person 1 restates the claim or term in a more confusing way.

Answer 351

Failure to Elucidate

Question 352

Making an argument based on the worst-case scenario rather than the most probable scenario, allowing fear to prevail over reason.

Answer 352

Just in case fallacy

Question 353

It would be a good idea to accept claim X since it is possible for event Y

Answer 353

Just in case fallacy

Question 354

Maury, you should really wear a helmet when playing chess. You can easily get excited, fall off your chair, and crack your head open.

Answer 354

Just in Case fallacy

Question 355

Failing to appeal to an underlying cause, and instead simply appealing to membership in a category. In other words, simply asserting what you are trying to explain without actually explaining anything.

Answer 355

Limited depth fallacy

Question 356

My dog goes through our garbage because he is a dog.

Answer 356

Limited depth fallacy

Question 357

The theory doesn’t explain anything other than the phenomenon it explains, and at best, is likely to be incomplete. This is often done by just redefining a term or phrase rather than explaining it.

Answer 357

Limited scope fallacy

Question 358

My car broke down because it is no longer working.

Answer 358

Limited scope fallacy

Question 359

People often make hasty decisions because they don’t take enough time to consider their choices.

Answer 359

Limited scope fallacy

Question 360

Assuming things that are often grouped together must always be grouped together, or the assumption that the ungrouping will have significantly more severe effects than anticipated.

Answer 360

package deal fallacy

Question 361

X and Y usually go together.

Therefore, X or Y cannot be separated.

Answer 361

package deal fallacy

Question 362

Michael is part of the Jackson Five. Without Tito and company, he will never make it.

Answer 362

package deal fallacy

Question 363

When an abstraction (abstract belief or hypothetical construct) is treated as if it were a concrete, real event or physical entity – when an idea is treated as if had a real existence.

Answer 363

reification

Question 364

If you are open to it, love will find you.

Answer 364

reification

Question 365

Assuming that the media’s coverage of a certain class or category is representative of the class or category in whole.

Answer 365

spot light fallacy

Question 366

The media have been covering X quite a bit by describing it as Y.
Therefore, X can be described as Y.

Answer 366

spotlight fallacy

Question 367

Taking a statement of conversion as valid without actually hearing a reason for the conversion

Answer 367

statement of converstion fallacy

Question 368

I used to believe in X.

Therefore, X is wrong.

Answer 368

statement of converstion fallacy

Question 369

Reason and logic are not always reliable, so we should not count on it to help us find truth.

Answer 369

stolen concept fallacy

Question 370

The presidential nominee has been accused of being racist. But he recently stated that he really liked the movie, “Roots,” so I guess he isn’t racist.

Answer 370

tokenism

Question 371

: Interpreting a token gesture as an adequate substitute for the real thing.

Answer 371

tokenism

Question 372

Mr. McBoss’ company consists of 50 executives who are all men, and 50 secretaries who are all women. To show he is all about equal opportunity, he has agreed to hire a woman executive.

Answer 372

tokensims

Question 373

I have tiny, invisible unicorns living in my anus. Unfortunately, these cannot be detected by any kind of scientific equipment.

Answer 373

unfalsifiability

Question 374

Refusing to change one’s mind or consider conflicting information based on a desire to maintain one’s existing beliefs.

Answer 374

willed ignorance

Question 375

I believe X.
You have evidence for Y.
I don’t want to see it because I don’t want to stop believing in X.

Answer 375

willed ignorance

Question 376

I don’t want anything coming in the way of me and my beliefs; therefore, I will only socialize with people who share my beliefs.

Answer 376

willed ignorance

Question 377

I know what I know, and I refuse to debate!

Answer 377

willed ignorance

Question 378

Only 6% of applicants make it into this school, but my son is brilliant! They are certainly going to accept him!

Answer 378

base rate fallacy

Question 379

All forest creatures live in the woods.
All leprechauns are forest creatures.
Therefore, some leprechauns live in the woods.

Answer 379

existential fallacy

Question 380

All babysitters have pimples.
All babysitter club members are babysitters.
Therefore, some babysitter club members have pimples.

Answer 380

existential fallacy

Question 381

X is true because you cannot prove that X is false.

X is false because you cannot prove that X is true.

Answer 381

argument from ignorance

Question 382

Although we have proven that the moon is not made of spare ribs, we have not proven that its core cannot be filled with them; therefore, the moon’s core is filled with spare ribs.

Answer 382

argument from ignorance

Question 383

I believe one should never deliberately hurt another person, that’s why I can never be a surgeon.

Answer 383

accident fallacy

Question 384

Person 1 claims that Y is true, but is person 1 really sure about that?
Therefore, Y is false.

Answer 384

ad fidentia

Question 385

Claim X is true because of evidence Y.
Evidence Y is demonstrated not to be acceptable evidence.
Therefore, it must be guess Z then, even though there is no evidence for guess Z.

Answer 385

ad hoc rescue

Question 386

Person 1 is claiming Y.
Person 1 has a vested interest in Y being true.
Therefore, Y is false.

Answer 386

ad hominem (circumstantial)

Question 387

Guy working a booth in the mall: Excuse me, but you look like you can use a vacation! Do you have a few minutes to chat about vacation destinations, or would you prefer I just send you some information by e-mail?

Answer 387

alternative advance

Question 388

Claim X is made.

Y is concluded based on an ambiguous understanding of X.

Answer 388

ambiguity fallcy

Question 389

It is said that we have a good understanding of our universe. Therefore, we know exactly how it began and exactly when.

Answer 389

ambiguity fallacy

Question 390

If we can put a man on the moon, we can cure all forms of cancer.

Answer 390

appeal to the moon

Question 391

Person 1 says that Y is true.
Person 1 was an ancient mystic.
Therefore, Y is true.

Answer 391

argument from age

Question 392

X is one extreme, and Y is another extreme.
There is no definable point where X becomes Y.
Therefore, there is no difference between X and Y.

Answer 392

continuum fallacy

Question 393

Lolita: Since about half the people in the world are female, the chances of the next person to walk out that door being female is about 50/50.
Celina: Do you realize that is the door to Dr. Vulvastein, the gynecologist?

Answer 393

ludic fallacy

Question 394

In looking at the records of my students, I have found that 9 out of 10 are an only child. Therefore, society is moving towards one-child families.

Answer 394

post designation

Question 395

“I do not exist” — The speaker denies the idea that she exists, but in the very act of making the statement she presumes her existence.

Answer 395

stolen concept fallacy

Question 396

“Some say…”; “It has been suggested…”; “It is widely thought…” and so on.

Answer 396

weasel words

Question 397

an irrational and obsessive feeling or fear that one is the object of collective hostility or ill-treatment on the part of others.

Answer 397

persecution complex

Question 398

logical fallacy of believing that everyone you hate is the same

Answer 398

jonanism

Question 399

believes all of her opponents are anti-feminist or anti-women. When told she’s nuts it’s taken as proof the “misogynists” are persecuting her.

Answer 399

jonanism

Question 400

Islamic Awakening- Thinks everybody against them is “anti-Muslim” and the fact that the “heathens” consider them crazy is evidence they’re doing good.

Answer 400

jonanism