Logical Fallacies Flashcards
Logical fallacies
Something that is not logically sound but can be very powerful and persuasive
Ad hominem
P1: I don’t think we should have a separate pony division
P2: of course you say that because you hate children and have no soul
When an argument starts getting personal and attacks I made against the person rather than the argument
Straw man
P1 I believe how much should be mandatory for riders under 18
P2 so you don’t support people‘s individual rights over their own bodies?
Giving the impression of refuting an opponents argument but actually refuting an argument I was not advance by that opponent
False analogy
No one objects to a veterinarian researching a difficult case and medical journals why shouldn’t every vet student taking a difficult exam be permitted to use the textbook
Claims comparisons when the differences outweigh the similarities “comparing apples and oranges“
False dichotomy
You either love Appaloosas or you hate them
Go to search that a complex situation can only have two possible outcomes and that one of the options is necessary or preferable
Red herring
P1 why did you buy this horse at the sale? Didn’t we just agree last week that we had too many horses?
P2 don’t fuss at me and no one else was bidding on him
An intentional detour from an issue often referred to as a pivot
Bandwagon
You like to read books rather than play sports your friends start to make fun of you and say that reading is for nerds you then stop reading and start to play sports
Creates the impression that everyone is doing something therefore you should as well
Non sequitur
Dublin boots are very expensive therefore they must be well-built and superior to boots a similar design
Stating as a conclusion something that does not strictly follow on the premises for example race is wrong therefore we need affirmative action
Slippery slope
P1 advises p2 on her next riding horse purchase go with the gelding if you buy a mare the next thing you know you will be breeding her and then we’ll have a foal to deal with and with my luck I will bust my shoulder again trying to Halterbreak it
Argument that’s adopting one policy or taken one action will lead to a series of other policies or actions also being taken without showing a casual connection between the advocate of policy and the consequent policy for example if we legalize marijuana the next thing you know we will be legalizing LSD
Hasty generalization
Chestnut mare’s are evil I had a chestnut mare ones and she was the devil incarnate my bay mare was never like that
Making a sweeping statement and expecting it to be true of every specific case; stereotyping
Post hoc
I have to wear my blue socks at the horse show because the one time I didn’t I didn’t pin at all
Assuming that A caused B simply because A happenEd prior to B for example I sat in a chair and I became pregnant therefore it is now the pregnancy chair
Hasty generalization
Horses are expensive therefore all horse people must be rich
Generalization based on insufficient evidence which basically means making a hasty conclusions without considering all of the variables
Appeal to authority
Well you may think using bands instead of sewing in button grade is sloppy or lazy but if it’s good enough for Charlotte it’s good enough for me
The use of well-known or respected people yet who may not have expertise in the area of interest
Appeal to common folk
Making yourself seem like the average joe
Appeal to emotion
SPCA commercial
