Logical Fallacies

Question 1

Ad Hominem

Answer 1

Attacking the person, instead of the argument.

Question 2

Questionable Analogy

Answer 2

A bad analogy.

Question 3

Composition and Division

Answer 3

composition is the fallacy of inferring from the fact that every part of a whole has a given property that the whole also has that property.

division is committed when we assume that all (or some) of the parts of an item have a particular property because the item as a whole has it.

Question 4

Hasty Generalization

Answer 4

conclusion about a population based on a sample that is not large enough.

Question 5

Biased Sample

Answer 5

conclusion about a population based on a sample that is biased or prejudiced in some manner.

Question 6

Bandwagon

Answer 6

arguments that appeal to the growing popularity of an idea as a reason for accepting it as true.

Question 7

Missing the Point

Answer 7

An argument is given from which a perfectly valid and sound conclusion may be drawn, yet the stated conclusion is something else.

Question 8

Wishful Thinking

Answer 8

I want P to be true. Therefore, P is true.

Question 9

Gambler’s Fallacy

Answer 9

if something happens more frequently than normal during some period, it will happen less frequently in the future, or that, if something happens less frequently than normal during some period, it will happen more frequently in the future (presumably as a means of balancing nature).

Question 10

Middle Ground

Answer 10

when it is assumed that the middle position between two extremes must be correct simply because it is the middle position.

Question 11

Appeal to Authority

Answer 11

when the person in question is not a legitimate authority on the subject

Question 12

Slippery Slope

Answer 12

person asserts that some event must inevitably follow from another without any argument for the inevitability of the event in question. In most cases, there are a series of steps or gradations between one event and the one in question and no reason is given as to why the intervening steps or gradations will simply be bypassed.

Question 13

False Dilemma

Answer 13

Also known as: Black & White Thinking. The false dilemma fallacy involves misuse of the ‘or’ operator. A False Dilemma is a fallacy in which a person uses the following pattern of “reasoning”:

1. Either claim X is true or claim Y is true (when X and Y could both be false).
2. Claim Y is false.
3. Therefore claim X is true.

Question 14

Burden of Proof

Answer 14

burden of proof is placed on the wrong side. Another version occurs when a lack of evidence for side A is taken to be evidence for side B in cases in which the burden of proof actually rests on side B.

Question 15

Confusing Cause and Effect

Answer 15

when a person assumes that one event must cause another just because the events occur together.

Question 16

Base Rate

Answer 16

Ignoring statistical information in favor of using irrelevant information, that one incorrectly believes to be relevant, to make a judgment. This usually stems from the irrational belief that statistics don’t apply in a situation, for one reason or another when, in fact, they do.

Question 17

Appeal to Emotion

Answer 17

someone manipulates peoples’ emotions in order to get them to accept a claim as being true.

Question 18

Begging the Question

Answer 18

Any form of argument where the conclusion is assumed in one of the premises.

Question 19

Spotlight

Answer 19

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

Question 20

Special Pleading

Answer 20

Applying standards, principles, and/or rules to other people or circumstances, while making oneself or certain circumstances exempt from the same critical criteria, without providing adequate justification. Special pleading is often a result of strong emotional beliefs that interfere with reason.

Question 21

Loaded Question

Answer 21

A question that has a presupposition built in, which implies something but protects the one asking the question from accusations of false claims.

Question 22

Cherry Picking

Answer 22

When only select evidence is presented in order to persuade the audience to accept a position, and evidence that would go against the position is withheld. The stronger the withheld evidence, the more fallacious the argument.

Question 23

Two Wrongs Make a Right

Answer 23

When a person attempts to justify an action against another person because the other person did take or would take the same action against him or her.

Question 24

Guilt By Association

Answer 24

When the source is viewed negatively because of its association with another person or group who is already viewed negatively.

Question 25

Strawman

Answer 25

Substituting a person’s actual position or argument with a distorted, exaggerated, or misrepresented version of the position of the argument.

Question 26

Appeal to Nature

Answer 26

when it claims that something is good because it’s natural, or bad because it’s unnatural.

Question 27

Non Sequitur

Answer 27

When the conclusion does not follow from the premises. In more informal reasoning, it can be when what is presented as evidence or reason is irrelevant or adds very little support to the conclusion.

Question 28

Relativist

Answer 28

Claiming something is true for one person, but not for someone else when, in fact, it is true for everyone (objective) as demonstrated by empirical evidence.

Question 29

Tokenism

Answer 29

Interpreting a token gesture as an adequate substitute for the real thing. “I’m not racist! I have a black friend”

Question 30

Red Herring

Answer 30

Attempting to redirect the argument to another issue that to which the person doing the redirecting can better respond.