Logical Fallacies

Question 1

Strawman

Answer 1

Misrepresenting someone’s argument to make it easier to attack.

Question 2

Slippery slope

Answer 2

Asserting that if we allow A to happen, then Z will consequently happen too, therefore A should not happen.

Question 3

Special pleading

Answer 3

Moving the goalpost or making up exceptions when a claim is shown to be false.

Question 4

The gambler’s fallacy

Answer 4

Believing that ‘runs’ occur to statistically independent phenomena such as a roulette wheel spins.

Question 5

Black-or-white (or false dilemma)

Answer 5

Where two alternative states are presents as the only possibilities, when in fact more possibilities exist.

Question 6

False cause

Answer 6

Presuming that a real or perceived relationship between things means that one is the cause of the other.

Question 7

Ad hominem

Answer 7

Attacking your opponent’s character or personal traits in an attempt to undermine their argument.

Question 8

Loaded question

Answer 8

Asking a question that has an assumption built into it so that it can’t be answered without appearing guilty.

Question 9

Bandwagon

Answer 9

Appealing to popularity or the fact that many people do something as an attempted form of validation.

Question 10

Begging the question

Answer 10

A circular argument in which the conclusion is included in the premise.

Question 11

Appeal to authority

Answer 11

Saying that because an authority thinks something, it must therefore be true.

Question 12

Appeal to nature

Answer 12

Making the argument that because something is ‘natural’ it is therefore valid, justified, inevitable, good or ideal.

Question 13

Composition/division

Answer 13

Assuming that what’s true about one part of something has to be applied to all, or other, parts of it.

Question 14

Anecdotal

Answer 14

Using personal experience or an isolated example instead of a valid argument, especially to dismiss statistics.

Question 15

Appeal to emotion

Answer 15

Manipulating an emotional response in place of a valid or compelling argument.

Question 16

Tu quoque

Answer 16

Avoiding having to engage with criticism by turning it back on the accuser - answering criticism with criticism.

Question 17

Burden of proof

Answer 17

Saying that the burden of proof lies not with the person making the claim, but with someone else to disprove.

Question 18

No true Scotsman

Answer 18

Making what could be called an appeal to purity as a way to dismiss relevant criticisms or flaws of an argument.

Question 19

The Texas sharpshooter

Answer 19

Cherry-picking data clusters to suit an argument, or finding a pattern to fit a presumption.

Question 20

The fallacy fallacy

Answer 20

Presuming a claim to be necessarily wrong because a fallacy has been committed.

Question 21

Personal incredulity

Answer 21

Saying that because one finds something difficult to understand, it’s therefore not true.

Question 22

Ambiguity

Answer 22

Using double meaning or ambiguities of language to mislead or misrepresent the truth.

Question 23

Genetic

Answer 23

Judging something good or bad on the basis of where it comes from, or from whom it comes.

Question 24

Middle ground

Answer 24

Saying that a compromise, or middle point, between two extremes must be truth.