Logical Fallacies And Appeals

Question 1

Uses personal attacks rather than logic. The fallacy occurs when someone rejects or criticizes another point of view based on the personal characteristics, ethnic background, physical appearance, or other non-relevant traits of the person who holds it. When used in politics it is often called “mudslinging.” They are considered unethical because politicians can use them to manipulate voters’ opinions against an opponent without addressing core issues.

Answer 1

Ad Hominem

Question 2

Attacks a different subject rather than the topic being discussed, often a more extreme version of the counter argument. The purpose of this misdirection is to make one’s position look stronger than it actually is.

Answer 2

Straw Man

Question 3

Presents limited options, typically by focusing on 2 extremes when in fact more possibilities exist.

Answer 3

False Dilemma/False Dichotomy

Question 4

Assumes that a certain course of action will necessarily lead to a chain of future events. This fallacy takes a benign premise or starting point and suggests that it will lead to unlikely or ridiculous outcomes with no supporting evidence.

Answer 4

Slippery Slope

Question 5

When a person’s argument repeats what they already assumed before without arriving at a new conclusion

Answer 5

Circular Argument

Question 6

A claim based on few examples rather than substantial proof. Arguments based on this fallacy often don’t hold up due to a lack of supporting evidence

Answer 6

Hasty Generalization

Question 7

An argument that uses confusion or distraction to shift attention away from a topic and towards a false conclusion. Usually contains an unimportant fact, idea, or event that has little relevance to the real issue.

Answer 7

Red Herring

Question 8

Informal fallacies that occur when an argument incorrectly concludes that a cause is related to an effect. It assumes that because 2 things occurred together, one must have caused the other

Answer 8

Causal Fallacy

Question 9

When someone continues doing something because of the effort they already put in it, regardless of whether the additional costs outweigh the potential benefits.

Answer 9

Sunk Cost

Question 10

Happens when a word, phrase or sentence is used deliberately to confuse, deceive, or mislead. Saying one thing but meaning another.

Answer 10

Equivocation

Question 11

Assumes something is true (or right or good) because others agree with it. This fallacy argues that if everyone thinks a certain way, then you should, too.

Answer 11

Bandwagon

Question 12

Argues that a proposition must be true because it has not been proven false or there is no evidence against it

Answer 12

Appeal to Ignorance

Question 13

Focuses on the hypocrisy of an opponent. It deflects criticism away from oneself by accusing the other person of the same problem or something comparable

Answer 13

Appeal to Hypocrisy

Question 14

Misuse of an authority’s opinion to support an argument. While an authority’s opinion can represent evidence and data, it becomes a fallacy if their expertise or authority is overstates, illegitimate, or irrelevant to the topic.

Answer 14

Appeal to Authority

Question 15

Appeal to credible authority

Answer 15

Ethos

Question 16

Relies on provoking your emotions to win an argument rather than factual evidence. This appeal attempts to pull on an audience’s heartstrings, distract them, and support their points of view

Answer 16

Appeal to Pity

Question 17

Appeal to emotion, they use your “feels” to convince you of something

Answer 17

Pathos

Question 18

Means to appeal to the audiences’ sense of reason or logic. The author makes clear logical connections between ideas, and includes the use of facts and statistics.

Answer 18

Appeal to Logic

Question 19

Appeal to logic. Uses facts, data, science, etc. to convince you

Answer 19

Logos