Logical Fallacies Flashcards
Ad Hominem attacks
The attempt to discredit a perspective by criticizing the character of a person associated with it instead of critiquing the perspective
Bandwagon
Asserting the superiority of a position on the basis of its popularity
Begging the question
Stating the same thing in different ways
Oversimplification
Falsely reducing a complex situation to a simple one
False analogy
Claimig the one situation is similar to another one when it’s not
Hasty generalization
Drawing conclusions about a whole class on the basis of a limited number of examples
Non-sequitor
Presenting one statement as following logically from another when it does not
Post hoc, ergo propter hoc
Falsely concluding that because something followed something else (post hoc) it was caused by it (propter hoc)
Slippery slope
Falsely claiming that one event would lead inevitably to another, highly undesirable one
Straw man
Misrepresenting a perspective so that it is easier to attack
Bandwagon example:
Everyone knows capitalism is the best economic system
Begging the question is aka:
Circular reasoning
Tautology
Begging the question example:
Marijuana is wrong, otherwise it would be legal
Oversimplification is aka:
Black and white thinking
Either/or thinking
False analogy example:
Obamas health care system is like hitler’s eugenics program
Hasty generalization example
Molly is polish
Molly plays piano
All polish people are musical
Non-sequitor example:
Since we now have same-sex marriage in canada, there is no more homophobia
Post hoc ergo propter hoc example:
Women went topless in april
God punished us in may
Slippery slope example:
Legalizing same sex marriage will destroy canadian society
Straw man example:
Environmentalists want us to freeze in the dark
