Logical Fallacies Flashcards
Ad hominem
Arguments that focus on the person. Usually attacking the person and not their argument.
Ex. “Joe is a liar”
Appeal to Authority
Trying to support a claim by backing it with an authority figure(not an expert in that field)
Ex. Trump selling and promoting face cream
Appeal to ignorance
Claiming an argument as true because no one can prove it to be false.
Appeal to popularity
Basing an argument as correct because it’s the popular belief
Appeal to tradition
Built on the practice of a long term belief or tradition
Begging the question
Using the conclusion of the argument as the premise
Ex. Everyone wants the new iPhone because it’s the hottest gadget on the market
Complex question
A question containing a controversial assumption (Aka loaded question)
Golden mean
Presents the conclusion as a compromise/ the best outcome that appeases both sides
Half truth
A claim that’s true but omits important details that could change its meaning
Irrelevant Reason
Premises that have no relation to the conclusion but instead serves as a distraction
Questionable (post hoc ergo propter hoc)
Because one event came after another (and there is a correlation), the second was a direct result of the first
Self-Sealing
Taking away all of the importance and weight of a claim(under exaggeration) while still keeping it true
Ex. I graduated after years of struggling through my classes.
A lot of people graduate
Slippery slope
One harmless event will lead to a disastrous end if continued
Ex. Marijuana is a gateway drug
Straw man
Distorting, exaggerating, or misrepresenting an opponent’s arguments
Ex. His stance for not funding the war means he is not a true American because the war is to promote democracy and help people under captivity like America was
