Logical Fallacies
Just the list without descriptions (for test review)Fallacies of relevance
- Ad Hominem
Attacking the speaker instead of the argument.
- Ad Hominem Circumstantial
Attacking the speaker's affiliation instead of the argument
- Tu Quo / You're another one
Accusing speaker of "pot calling kettle black"
- Ad Populum / Appeal to the Masses
Saying "everyone does it" or "many do it"
- Ad Vericundiam / Appeal to Authority / Pleading to Authoirty
Quoting the opinion of someone not qualfied to have an opinion in the matter under debate.
- Argumentum Ad Baculum / Appeal to Force / Appeal to Coercion
Using threats (implied or direct) to support a given point of view.
- Argumentum Ad Misericordiam / Appeal to Pity
Using someone's unfortunate circumstances to support an unrelated issue.
- Argumentum Ad Ignorantiam / Appeal to Ignorance
"If you can't prove me wrong, I must be right!"
Fallacies of presumption
- Accident
General rule incorrectly applied to special case
- Hasty Generalization
Special case incorrectly adopted as general rule
- Biases statistics
Statistics for a sub-population applied to the entire population
- Bifurcation (Also "False Dichotomy" or "Excluded Middle")
An either/or where other options are available
- Complex question
A question that assumes something that is not true.
- Red Herring
Trying to change the subject
- Slippery Slope
If we let X happen, it will just get more and more extreme.
- Straw Man
Putting words in our opponent's mouth.
- Begging the Question (for the purposes of this test; common English
usage is different)
Circular reasoning If A then B, if B then A, hence A (or B or both).