Logical Fallacies Flashcards

1
Q

Straw man

A

Refuting a statement by intentionally misrepresenting it

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2
Q

Slippery slope

A

Arguing that one step will surely lead to many others with catastrophic results

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3
Q

Special pleading

A

Applying some standards and rules to other people, while not applying them to yourself

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4
Q

Gamblers fallacy

A

If something has happened very frequently in the past, and it is assumed it will happen less frequently in the future

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5
Q

Black or white

A

Presenting two alternatives as the only possibilities, when more exist in between

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6
Q

False cause

A

Believing that a presumed or real relationship between two things is the cause of the other

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7
Q

Ad hominem

A

Attacking someone personally instead of their argument

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8
Q

Loaded question

A

Asking a question in such a way that assures one’s opponent appears guilty

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9
Q

Bandwagon

A

Assuming that the opinion of the majority is always valid

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10
Q

Begging the question

A

When an arguments premise assumes the truth of the conclusion instead of supporting it

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11
Q

Appeal to authority

A

Claiming that something is true because it is believed it promoted by someone “of authority”

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12
Q

Appeal to nature

A

Assuming something is good because it is “natural” or found in nature

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13
Q

Fallacy of composition

A

Believing that something is true for the whole because it is true for one part of something

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14
Q

Anecdote

A

Using a personal experience or isolated incident instead of facts and a solid argument

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15
Q

False analogy

A

Using and inappropriate or misleading compassion to prove a point

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16
Q

Appeal to emotion

A

Attempting to manipulate one’s opponent by eliciting an emotional response

17
Q

Tu quoque

A

Trying to discredit an argument by pointing out that the opponent has not been totally consistent with their beliefs in the past

18
Q

Burden of proof

A

Making a claim that needs justification and then demanding that the opponent justifies the opposite of the claim

19
Q

No true Scotsman

A

Rendering an argument unfalsifiable because no matter how compelling the evidence is one simply shifts the goalpost so that it wouldn’t apply to a supposedly true example

20
Q

The Texas sharpshooter

A

Occurs when the differences in data are ignored but the similarities are stressed

21
Q

The fallacy-fallacy

A

Presuming that because the argument was poorly argued, the entirety of it must be wrong

22
Q

Personal incredulity

A

Presuming that because a claim has been poorly argued or because the arguer doesn’t have much personal credibility the entire argument must be wrong

23
Q

Circular reasoning

A

When the arguer begins an argument with their concluding point

24
Q

Genetic fallacy

A

Disputing a fact based on someone or something’s history, origin or source rather than its current meaning or context

25
Q

Middle ground

A

Asserts that the truth is essentially found in the middle of two arguments

26
Q

Non-sequitur

A

A conclusion that is not aligned with previous statements or evidence