Logical Fallacies Flashcards
Argumentum ad misericordiam
appeals to pity/sympathy.
ex. when a mom tells her son, “take out the trash,” to which he responds “I had the worst day, my teacher called me an idiot in front of the whole class,” he hopes she will pity him so much that she’ll forget about the garbage.
Argumentum ad nauseam
the idea that the more an assertion is made is repeated the more likely it is factual
ex. “If the glove doesn’t fit you must acquit!”
Argumentum ad numerum
the more people who believe in an assertion increases the likelihood that it is factual. It equates popular opinion/mass support with correctness.
ex. Millions of teens think that high school starting times are too early and need to be pushed to a later time
Argumentum ad vercundiam
appeal to authority (false authority)
ex. Jessica Simpson selling acne medicine
Begging the question/tautology
Argument of circular argument; leaves out a beginning explanation
ex. You should drive on the right side of the road b/c the law tells us to.
Bifurcation
black and white thinking/either or thinking/ a form of oversimplification; usually both choices are undesirable
ex. it can implicit: “if you support the the tea party, then you are a true American!”; “you’re either with us or against us!”
Hasty Generalization
one and this all
ex. CB East has no spring break, so other high schools must be without a spring break
Sweeping Generalization
all and thus one
ex. Most teachers are Democrats and thus Mr. Stempleson must be a Democrat
Non sequitur
“it does not follow”
an argument where a conclusion is drawn from ideas that are not connected to it
ex. if you loved me, you’d buy me the iPad I want
Post hoc ergo propter hoc/faulty causality
A caused B because A happened first
ex. My girlfriend gave me these neon shoelaces so I won all of my races.
Weak/False Analogy
Makes a comparison between 2 things that aren’t really comparable
ex. guns are like hammers–they’re both tools with metal parts that could be used to kill someone.
Appeal to Traditions
Trying to get someone to accept something because it has been done or believed for a long time
ex. Jefferson City has kept its urban growth boundary at six miles for the past thirty years. That has been good enough for thirty years, so why should we change it now?
Slippery slope
Asserts that one event WILL BE followed by other, usually harmful, events. (Speculation or conjecture)
ex. Allowing animal experimentation reduces our respect for like. If we don’t respect life, we are more and more likely to accept violent acts like war and murder. Soon society will become a battlefield in which everyone fears for their lives.
Argumentum ad hominem
“against the man;” attacks an individual so that the idea/belief he she holds seems less valid.
ex. my opponent suggests that lowering taxes will be a good idea– this is coming from a woman who eats a pint of Ben and Jerry’s each night!
