Logical Fallacies Flashcards
1
Q
Anecdotal Fallacy
A
Using a personal experience or an isolated example instead of sound reasoning or compelling evidence
2
Q
Anne: “I am giving up extreme sports now that I have children. I think I will take up golf.”
Bill: “I wouldn’t do that. Do you remember Charles? He was playing golf when he got hit by a golf-cart. It broke his leg, and he fell over, giving himself a concussion. He was in hospital for a week and still walks with a limp. I would stick to paragliding!”
A
Anecdotal Fallacy
3
Q
Using a personal experience or an isolated example instead of sound reasoning or compelling evidence
A
Anecdotal Fallacy
4
Q
Appeal to probability
A
statement that takes something for granted because it would probably be the case
5
Q
Statement that takes something for granted because it would probably be the case
A
Appeal to probability
6
Q
Something can go wrong (premise).
Therefore, something will go wrong (invalid conclusion).
A
Appeal to probability
7
Q
argument from fallacy
A
assumes that if an argument for some conclusion is fallacious, then the conclusion is false
8
Q
assumes that if an argument for some conclusion is fallacious, then the conclusion is false
A
argument from fallacy
9
Q
If P, then Q.
P is a fallacious argument.
Therefore, Q is false
A
argument from fallacy
10
Q
Base Rate fallacy
A
making a probability judgment based on conditional probabilities, without taking into account the effect of prior probabilities
11
Q
making a probability judgment based on conditional probabilities, without taking into account the effect of prior probabilities
A
Base rate fallacy
12
Q
John is a man who wears gothic inspired clothing, has long black hair, and listens to death metal. How likely is it that he is a Christian and how likely is it that he is a Satanist?
If people were asked this question, they would likely underestimate the probability of his being a Christian, and overestimate the probability of his being a Satanist.
A
Base rate fallacy
13
Q
Conjunction fallacy
A
assumption that an outcome simultaneously satisfying multiple conditions is more probable than an outcome satisfying a single one of them
14
Q
assumption that an outcome simultaneously satisfying multiple conditions is more probable than an outcome satisfying a single one of them
A
Conjunction fallacy
15
Q
Linda is 31 years old, single, outspoken, and very bright. She majored in philosophy. As a student, she was deeply concerned with issues of discrimination and social justice, and also participated in anti-nuclear demonstrations.
Which is more probable?
Linda is a bank teller.
Linda is a bank teller and is active in the feminist movement.
The majority of those asked chose option 2
A
Conjunction fallacy
16
Q
Masked man fallacy
A
the substitution of identical designators in a true statement can lead to a false one
17
Q
the substitution of identical designators in a true statement can lead to a false one
A
Masked man fallacy
18
Q
Premise 1: I know who X is.
Premise 2: I do not know who Y is.
Conclusion: Therefore, X is not Y.
A
Masked man fallacy
19
Q
Unwarranted assumption fallacy
A
The fallacy of unwarranted assumption is committed when the conclusion of an argument is based on a premise (implicit or explicit) that is false or unwarranted
20
Q
To be on the cover of Vogue Magazine, one must be a celebrity or very beautiful.
This month’s cover was a celebrity.
Therefore, this celebrity is not very beautiful.
A
Affirming a disjunct
21
Q
If Bill Gates owns Fort Knox, then he is rich.
Bill Gates is rich.
Therefore, Bill Gates owns Fort Knox
A
Affirming the consequent
22
Q
If I have the flu, then I have a sore throat.
I have a sore throat.
Therefore, I have the flu.
A
Affirming the consequent
23
Q
Every C is B
Every C is A
So, some A is B
A
Existential fallacy
24
Q
We don’t read that trash. People who read that trash don’t appreciate real literature. Therefore, we appreciate real literature
A
Affirmative conclusion from a negative premise
25
No fish are dogs, and no dogs can fly, therefore all fish can fly
Affirmative conclusion from a negative premise
26
appeal to stone
dismissing a claim as absurd without demonstrating proof for its absurdity
27
dismissing a claim as absurd without demonstrating proof for its absurdity
appeal to stone
28
Speaker A: Infectious diseases are caused by microbes.
Speaker B: What a ridiculous idea!
Speaker A: How so?
Speaker B: It's obviously ridiculous
appeal to stone
29
argument from ignorance
assuming that a claim is true because it has not been or cannot be proven false, or vice versa
30
assuming that a claim is true because it has not been or cannot be proven false, or vice versa
argument from ignorance
31
P is too incredible (or: I cannot imagine how P could possibly be true); therefore P must be false.
I cannot imagine how P could possibly be false; therefore P must be true.
argument from incredulity
32
If P were true then I would know it; in fact I do not know it; therefore P cannot be true.
If P were false then I would know it; in fact I do not know it; therefore P cannot be false.
Argument from self-knowing
33
"There is no evidence of aliens, and therefore, aliens do not exist"
Absence of evidence
34
Argument from incredulity
I cannot imagine how this could be true, therefore it must be false
35
I cannot imagine how this could be true, therefore it must be false
Argument from incredulity
36
Argument from repitition
signifies that it has been discussed extensively until nobody cares to discuss it anymore
37
Argument from silence
where the conclusion is based on the absence of evidence, rather than the existence of evidence.[
38
where the conclusion is based on the absence of evidence, rather than the existence of evidence.[
Argument from silence
39
Jay: Dude, where are my car keys?
Bob: (says nothing)
Jay: I KNEW you took them!
Argument from silence
40
argument to moderation
assuming that the compromise between two positions is always correct
41
"Some would say that hydrogen cyanide is a delicious and necessary part of the human diet, but others claim it is a toxic and dangerous substance. The truth must therefore be somewhere in between."
argument to moderation
42
Ad hominem
the evasion of the actual topic by directing an attack at your opponent.
43
the evasion of the actual topic by directing an attack at your opponent.
Ad hominem
44
Begging the question
providing what is essentially the conclusion of the argument as a premise
45
providing what is essentially the conclusion of the argument as a premise
Begging the question
46
To allow every man an unbounded freedom of speech must always be, on the whole, advantageous to the State, for it is highly conducive to the interests of the community that each individual should enjoy a liberty perfectly unlimited of expressing his sentiments.”
Begging the question
47
Burden of Proof
I need not prove my claim, you must prove it is false.
48
I need not prove my claim, you must prove it is false.
Burden of Proof
49
Circular Reasoning
when the reasoner begins with what he or she is trying to end up with; sometimes called assuming the conclusion.
50
when the reasoner begins with what he or she is trying to end up with; sometimes called assuming the conclusion.
Circular Reasoning
51
Wellington is in New Zealand.
| Therefore, Wellington is in New Zealand.
Circular Reasoning
52
Circular cause and consequence
where the consequence of the phenomenon is claimed to be its root cause
53
where the consequence of the phenomenon is claimed to be its root cause
Circular cause and consequence
54
Sleeping with one's shoes on is strongly correlated with waking up with a headache.
Therefore, sleeping with one's shoes on causes headache.
Circular cause and consequence
55
Young children who sleep with the light on are much more likely to develop myopia in later life.
Therefore, sleeping with the light on causes myopia
Circular cause and consequence
56
Continuum Fallacy
improperly rejecting a claim for being imprecise
57
improperly rejecting a claim for being imprecise
Continuum Fallacy
58
Fred is clean-shaven now. If a person has no beard, one more day of growth will not cause them to have a beard. Therefore Fred can never grow a beard.
Continuum Fallacy
59
Correlation proves causation
faulty assumption that correlation between two variables implies that one causes the other
60
faulty assumption that correlation between two variables implies that one causes the other
Correlation proves causation
61
"I can't help thinking that you are the cause of this problem; we never had any problem with the furnace until you moved into the apartment."
Correlation proves causation
62
The number of vaccines children are receiving is increasing, and the number of children who are being diagnosed with autism at some time after being vaccinated is on the rise. Therefore, vaccines must cause autism.
Correlation proves causation
63
Suppressed correlative
where a correlative is redefined so that one alternative is made impossible
64
where a correlative is redefined so that one alternative is made impossible
Suppressed correlative
65
Person 1: "Things are either mysterious or not mysterious. Exactly when an earthquake will strike is still a mystery, but how blood circulates in the body is not."
Person 2: "Everything is mysterious. There are still things to be learned about how blood circulates."
Suppressed correlative
66
Equivocation
the misleading use of a term with more than one meaning (by glossing over which meaning is intended at a particular time)
67
the misleading use of a term with more than one meaning (by glossing over which meaning is intended at a particular time)
Equivocation
68
A feather is light.
What is light cannot be dark.
Therefore, a feather cannot be dark.
Equivocation
69
All jackasses have long ears.
Carl is a jackass.
Therefore, Carl has long ears.
Equivocation
70
Ecological Fallacy
inferences about the nature of specific individuals are based solely upon aggregate statistics collected for the group to which those individuals belong.
71
inferences about the nature of specific individuals are based solely upon aggregate statistics collected for the group to which those individuals belong.
Ecological Fallacy
72
if a particular group of people is measured to have a lower average IQ than the general population, we conclude that a randomly selected member of the group is more likely to have a lower IQ than the average general population.
Ecological Fallacy
73
Etymological Fallacy
the original or historical meaning of a word or phrase is necessarily similar to its actual present-day usage.
74
the original or historical meaning of a word or phrase is necessarily similar to its actual present-day usage.
Etymological Fallacy
75
From the fact that logos is Greek for "word", Stuart Chase concluded in his book The Tyranny of Words[5] that logic was mere manipulation of words
Etymological Fallacy
76
Fallacy of Accent
a specific type of ambiguity that arises when the meaning of a sentence is changed by placing an unusual prosodic stress, or when, in a written passage, it's left unclear which word the emphasis was supposed to fall on.
77
a specific type of ambiguity that arises when the meaning of a sentence is changed by placing an unusual prosodic stress, or when, in a written passage, it's left unclear which word the emphasis was supposed to fall on.
Fallacy of Accent
78
I didn't take the test yesterday. (Somebody else did.)
I didn't take the test yesterday. (I did not take it.)
I didn't take the test yesterday. (I did something else with it.)
I didn't take the test yesterday. (I took a different one.)
I didn't take the test yesterday. (I took something else.)
I didn't take the test yesterday. (I took it some other day.)
Fallacy of Accent
79
Fallacy of Composition
assuming that something true of part of a whole must also be true of the whole
80
assuming that something true of part of a whole must also be true of the whole
Fallacy of Composition
81
All cells are aquatic. Therefore, all organisms (which are composed of cells) are aquatic.
Fallacy of Composition
82
If someone stands up out of his seat at a cricket match, he can see better. Therefore, if everyone stands up they can all see better.
Fallacy of Composition
83
If a runner runs faster, he can win the race. Therefore, if all the runners run faster, they can all win the race
Fallacy of Composition
84
Fallacy of Division
assuming that something true of a thing must also be true of all or some of its parts.
85
assuming that something true of a thing must also be true of all or some of its parts.
Fallacy of Division
86
A Boeing 747 can fly unaided across the ocean.
A Boeing 747 has jet engines.
Therefore, one of its jet engines can fly unaided across the ocean.
Fallacy of division
87
False Attribution
an advocate appeals to an irrelevant, unqualified, unidentified, biased or fabricated source in support of an argument.
88
an advocate appeals to an irrelevant, unqualified, unidentified, biased or fabricated source in support of an argument.
False Attribution
89
But professor, I got all these facts from a program I saw on TV once... I don’t remember the name of it though.
False Attribution
90
Claim X is made.
Source Y, a fake or unverifiable source, is use to verify claim X.
Therefore, claim X is true.
False Attribution
91
Fallacy of Quoting Context
refers to the selective excerpting of words from their original context in a way that distorts the source's intended meaning.[
92
False Authority
using an expert of dubious credentials or using only one opinion to sell a product or idea.
93
using an expert of dubious credentials or using only one opinion to sell a product or idea.
False Authority
94
In 1923, leading American zoologist Theophilus Painter declared based on his findings that humans had 24 pairs of chromosomes. From the 1920s to the 1950s, this continued to be held based on Painter's authority,[25] despite subsequent counts totaling the correct number of 23.[26] Even textbooks with photos clearly showing 23 pairs incorrectly declared the number to be 24 based on the authority of the then-consensus of 24 pairs.
False Authority
95
Smith says X is true
Smith is an expert
So X must be true
False Appeal to Authority
96
False Dilemma
two alternative statements are held to be the only possible options, when in reality there are more
97
two alternative statements are held to be the only possible options, when in reality there are more
False Dilemma
98
"Either the nobles of this country appear wealthy, in which case they can be taxed for good; or they appear poor, in which case they are living frugally and must have immense savings, which can be taxed for good."
False Dilemma
99
False Equivalence
describing a situation of logical and apparent equivalence, when in fact there is none.
100
describing a situation of logical and apparent equivalence, when in fact there is none.
False Equivalence
101
"We all bleed red. We're all no different from each other.
False Equivalence
102
"They're both soft, cuddly pets. There's no difference between a cat and a dog."
False Equivalence
103
Fallacy of many questions (loaded question)
someone asks a question that presupposes something that has not been proven or accepted by all the people involved.
104
someone asks a question that presupposes something that has not been proven or accepted by all the people involved.
Fallacy of many questions (loaded question)
105
Where did you hide the gun? [assumes that you hid the gun]
How often do you do that? [assumes that you do it at least sometimes]
Fallacy of many questions (loaded question)
106
Fallacy of the single cause
it is assumed that there is one, simple cause of an outcome when in reality it may have been caused by a number of only jointly sufficient causes.
107
it is assumed that there is one, simple cause of an outcome when in reality it may have been caused by a number of only jointly sufficient causes.
Fallacy of the single cause
108
The recent drop in crime in our neighborhood is due to better policing.
Fallacy of single cause
109
Furtive Fallacy
outcomes are asserted to have been caused by the malfeasance of decision makers.
110
outcomes are asserted to have been caused by the malfeasance of decision makers.
Furtive Fallacy
111
"The new health care law was designed to destroy the United States."
Furtive Fallacy
112
Gambler's Fallacy
the incorrect belief that separate, independent events can affect the likelihood of another random event
113
the incorrect belief that separate, independent events can affect the likelihood of another random event
Gambler's Fallacy
114
If a fair coin lands on heads 10 times in a row, the belief that it is "due to the number of times it had previously landed on tails" is incorrect
Gambler's Fallacy
115
Historian's Fallacy
occurs when one assumes that decision makers of the past viewed events from the same perspective and having the same information as those subsequently analyzing the decision
116
occurs when one assumes that decision makers of the past viewed events from the same perspective and having the same information as those subsequently analyzing the decision
Historian's Fallacy
117
Claim X was made in the past.
Those who made the claim, did not take into consideration Y, which was not available to them at the time.
Therefore, this was a foolish claim.
Historian's Fallacy
118
You should have never taken the back roads to the concert. If you had taken the main roads, you would not have been stuck in all that traffic due to the accident.
Historian's Fallacy
119
Inflation of conflict
The experts of a field of knowledge disagree on a certain point, so the scholars must know nothing, and therefore the legitimacy of their entire field is put to question
120
The experts of a field of knowledge disagree on a certain point, so the scholars must know nothing, and therefore the legitimacy of their entire field is put to question
Inflation of conflict
121
Authority A disagrees with Authority B on issue X.
| Therefore, we can say nothing meaningful about issue X.
Inflation of conflict
122
My mom says that I should study for at least 2 hours each night, and my dad says just a half hour should be fine. Neither one of them knows what they are talking about, so I should just skip studying altogether.
Inflation of conflict
123
If-by-whiskey
an argument that supports both sides of an issue by using terms that are selectively emotionally sensitive.
124
an argument that supports both sides of an issue by using terms that are selectively emotionally sensitive.
if-by-whiskey
125
incomplete comparison
in which insufficient information is provided to make a complete comparison.
126
in which insufficient information is provided to make a complete comparison.
incomplete comparison
127
"product X is better"
incomplete comparison
128
inconsistent comparison (apples vs oranges)
where different methods of comparison are used, leaving one with a false impression of the whole comparison.
129
where different methods of comparison are used, leaving one with a false impression of the whole comparison.
inconsistent comparison (apples vs oranges)
130
intentionality fallacy
the insistence that the ultimate meaning of an expression must be consistent with the intention of the person from whom the communication originated
131
the insistence that the ultimate meaning of an expression must be consistent with the intention of the person from whom the communication originated
intentionality fallacy
132
if a 5-year old drew a picture of a cat, but I thought it looked more like a horse, I can't judge the picture on the 5-year old's intention for it to be a cat.
intentionality fallacy
133
p or q.
p.
Therefore, not-q.
p or q.
q.
Therefore, not-p.
Affirming a disjunct
134
Person 1: "All things are either X or not X." (The correlatives: X–not X.)
Person 2: "I define X such that all things that you claim are not X are included in X." (The suppressed correlative: not X.)
Suppressed correlative
135
using multiple, jointly inconsistent arguments to defend a position
Kettle logic
136
the belief that the outcomes of non-regulated random occurrences can be encapsulated by a statistic; a failure to take into account unknown unknowns in determining the probability of events taking place.
Ludic Fallacy
137
organized competitive fighting trains the athlete to focus on the game and, in order not to dissipate his concentration, to ignore the possibility of what is not specifically allowed by the rules, such as kicks to the groin, a surprise knife, et cetera. So those who win gold medal might be precisely those who will be most vulnerable in real life.
example of the Ludic Fallacy
138
assuming that whichever aspect of nature which has socially unpleasant consequences cannot exist. Its typical form is "if X were true, then it would happen that Z!", where Z is a morally, socially or politically undesirable thing.
moralistic fallacy
139
Eating meat harms animals and the environment, and so no one has physiological use for it
Example of moralistic fallacy
140
Men and women ought to be given equal opportunities, and so women and men can do everything equally well.
example of moralistic fallacy
141
Unfaithfulness is immoral, and so it is unnatural to feel desire for others when in a monogamous relationship.
example of moralistic fallacy
142
argument in which evidence presented in response to a specific claim is dismissed and some other (often greater) evidence is demanded.
moving the goalposts
143
what is found in nature is automatically assumed to be good
naturalistic fallacy
144
when solutions to problems are rejected because they are not perfect
Nirvana Fallacy
145
These anti-drunk driving ad campaigns are not going to work. People are still going to drink and drive no matter what.
example of Nirvana fallacy
146
Seat belts are a bad idea. People are still going to die in car crashes.
example of Nirvana fallacy
147
A occurred, then B occurred.
| Therefore, A caused B
post hoc ergo propter hoc
148
"I can't help thinking that you are the cause of this problem; we never had any problem with the furnace until you moved into the apartment." The manager of the apartment house, on no stated grounds other than the temporal priority of the new tenant's occupancy, holds that the tenant's presence has some causal relationship to the furnace's becoming faulty
post hoc ergo propter hoc example
149
suppose a person buys a good luck charm, does well on his exam, and then concludes that the good luck charm caused him to do well.
post hoc ergo propter hoc example
150
Bill purchases a new PowerMac and it works fine for months. He then buys and installs a new piece of software. The next time he starts up his Mac, it freezes. Bill concludes that the software must be the cause of the freeze.
post hoc ergo propter hoc example
151
Joan is scratched by a cat while visiting her friend. Two days later she comes down with a fever. Joan concludes that the cat's scratch must be the cause of her illness.
post hoc ergo propter hoc example
152
The Republicans pass a new tax reform law that benefits wealthly Americans. Shortly thereafter the economy takes a nose dive. The Democrats claim that the the tax reform caused the economic woes and they push to get rid of it
post hoc ergo propter hoc example
153
The picture on Jim's old TV set goes out of focus. Jim goes over and strikes the TV soundly on the side and the picture goes back into focus. Jim tells his friend that hitting the TV fixed it.
post hoc ergo propter hoc example
154
an informal fallacy in which a proposition is repeatedly restated regardless of contradiction.[1] Sometimes, this may be repeated until challenges dry up, at which point it is asserted as fact due to its not being contradicted
proof by assertion
155
This practice can be observed in the use of political slogans, and the distribution of "talking points", which are collections of short phrases that are issued to members of modern political parties for recitation to achieve maximum message repetition. The technique is also sometimes used in advertising
proof by assertion
156
submission of others to an argument too complex and verbose to reasonably deal with in all its intimate details
proof by verbosity
157
a low probability of false matches does not mean a low probability of some false match being found
prosecutor's fallacy
158
a perpetrator is known to have the same blood type as a defendant and 10% of the population share that blood type, then to argue on that basis alone that the probability of the defendant being guilty is 90% an example of -----
example of prosecutor's fallacy
159
using a form of argument that, if it were valid, could be used more generally to reach an absurd conclusion.
proving too much
160
an observer presupposes the objectivity of his own perspective when analyzing a behavioral event.
psychologist's fallacy
161
the experimenter is apt to suppose that the subject will respond to a stimulus or an order in the same way as he himself would respond in the circumstances.
example of psychologist's fallacy
162
Many life-long atheists presume that theists are less than truthful when those theists claim they have experienced God speaking to them.
example of psychologist's fallacy
163
a speaker attempts to distract an audience by deviating from the topic at hand by introducing a separate argument the speaker believes is easier to speak to.
red herring
164
“Sure, we haven’t given raises in over five years to our employees. You know, we work really hard to make a good product. We try to ensure the best customer service, too.”
example of red herring
165
“We need more revenue to support the programs that we have. Children are our future. Let’s support children.”
example of red herring
166
“When you start saying things to me like I need to eat healthier or get more exercise, that says to me that you think I’m fat. I like me, and I like the way I look and more people should have better self esteem.”
example of red herring
167
assuming all words refer to existing things and that the meaning of words reside within the things they refer to, as opposed to words possibly referring to no real object or that the meaning of words often comes from how we use them.
referential fallacy
168
ascribes cause where none exists. The flaw is failing to account for natural fluctuations. It is frequently a special kind of the post hoc fallacy
regression fallacy
169
The student did exceptionally poorly last semester, so I punished him. He did much better this semester. Clearly, punishment is effective in improving students' grades.
example of regression fallacy
170
The frequency of accidents on a road fell after a speed camera was installed. Therefore, the speed camera has improved road safety.
example of regression fallacy
171
a fallacy of ambiguity, when an abstraction (abstract belief or hypothetical construct) is treated as if it were a concrete, real event or physical entity. In other words, it is the error of treating as a "real thing" something that is not a real thing, but merely an idea.
reification
172
the argument that because some event has occurred, its occurrence must have been inevitable beforehand.
retrospective determinism
173
When he declared himself dictator of the Roman Republic, Julius Caesar was bound to be assassinated.
Caesar was assassinated when he declared himself dictator. OR Sic semper tyrannis: this goes to show that all dictators will eventually be assassinated.
retrospective determinism example
174
where a proponent of a position attempts to cite something as an exemption to a generally accepted rule or principle without justifying the exemption.
special pleading
175
I'm not relying on faith in small probabilities here. These are slot machines, not roulette wheels. They are different.
example of special pleading
176
Cocaine use should be legal. Like all drugs, it does have some adverse health effects, but cocaine is different from other drugs. Many have benefited from the effects of cocaine.
example of special pleading
177
cause and effect are reversed. The cause is said to be the effect and vice versa
wrong direction
178
Driving a wheelchair is dangerous, because most people who drive them have had an accident.
example of wrong direction
179
Children that watch a lot of TV are the most violent. Clearly, TV makes children more violent.
example of wrong direction
180
reach a conclusion from weak premises. Unlike fallacies of relevance, in fallacies of defective induction, the premises are related to the conclusions yet only weakly buttress the conclusions.
faulty generalizations
181
The proportion Q of the sample has attribute A.
| Therefore, the proportion Q of the population has attribute A.
example of faulty generalization
182
an exception to a generalization is ignored
accident
183
Cutting people with knives is a crime. →
Surgeons cut people with knives. →
Surgeons are criminals.
example of accident
184
when a generalization is made true only when a counterexample is ruled out on shaky grounds
no true scotsman
185
Person A: "No Scotsman puts sugar on his porridge."
Person B: "But my uncle Angus likes sugar with his porridge."
Person A: "Ah yes, but no true Scotsman puts sugar on his porridge."
example of no true scotsman fallacy
186
act of pointing at individual cases or data that seem to confirm a particular position, while ignoring a significant portion of related cases or data that may contradict that position.
cherry picking
187
when a small number of survivors of a given process are actively promoted while completely ignoring a large number of failures
survivor bias
188
ompanies that no longer exist are excluded from analyses of financial performance
example of survivor bias
189
successes in a group have some special property, rather than just coincidence.
example of survivor bias
190
if three of the five students with the best college grades went to the same high school, that can lead one to believe that the high school must offer an excellent education. This could be true, but the question cannot be answered without looking at the grades of all the other students from that high school, not just the ones who "survived" the top-five selection process.
example of survivor bias
191
the analogy is poorly suited
false analogy
192
P and Q are similar in respect to properties a, b, and c.
P has been observed to have further property x.
Therefore, Q probably has property x also.
example of false analogy
193
Person A: "I think that people can have some affection for their cultural heritage."
Person B: "You're just like Hitler!"
example of false analogy
194
basing a broad conclusion on a small sample
hasty generaliztion
195
```
X is true for A.
X is true for B.
X is true for C.
X is true for D.
Therefore, X is true for E, F, G, etc.
```
example of hasty generalization
196
if a person travels through a town for the first time and sees 10 people, all of them children, he may erroneously conclude that there are no adult residents in the town.
example of hasty generalization
197
A person is looking at a number line. The number 1 is a square number; 3 is a prime number, 5 is a prime number, and 7 is a prime number; 9 is a square number; 11 is a prime number, and 13 is a prime number. Therefore, the person says, all odd numbers are either prime or square.
example of hasty generalization
198
a conclusion is made of premises that lightly support it.
inductive fallacy
199
involves describing an occurrence in vivid detail, even if it is an exceptional occurrence, to convince someone that it is a problem.
misleading vividness
200
Anne: "I am giving up extreme sports now that I have children. I think I will take up golf."
Bill: "I wouldn't do that. Do you remember Charles? He was playing golf when he got hit by a golf-cart. It broke his leg, and he fell over, giving himself a concussion. He was in hospital for a week and still walks with a limp. I would stick to paragliding!"
example of misleading vividness
201
an accurate generalization that comes with qualifications that eliminate so many cases that what remains is much less impressive than the initial statement might have led one to assume
overwhelming exception
202
Our foreign policy has always helped other countries, except of course when it is against our National Interest..."
The false implication is that their foreign policy always helps other countries.
example of overwhelming exception
203
a commonly used phrase, sometimes passing as folk wisdom, used to quell cognitive dissonance, conceal lack of thought-entertainment, move on to other topics etc. but in any case, end the debate with a cliche—not a point.
thought-terminating cliche
204
attacking the arguer instead of the argument.
ad hominem
205
a type of ad hominem where adverse information about a target is presented with the intention of discrediting everything that the target person says.[
poisoning the well
206
Chris is a fascist so do not listen to him",
example of poisoning the well
207
where an assertion is deemed true because of the position or authority of the person asserting it.[
appeal to authority
208
A is an authority on a particular topic
A says something about that topic
A is probably correct
example of appeal to authority
209
B has provided evidence for position T.
A says position T is incorrect.
Therefore, B's evidence is false.
example of appeal to authority
210
where an assertion is deemed true or false based on the accomplishments of the proposer
appeal to accomplishment
211
X is one extreme and Y is another extreme.
There is no definable point where X becomes Y.
Therefore, there is no difference
Continuum fallacy
212
the fallacy of assuming that different degrees of "wrong" are the same
Wringer than wrong fallacy
213
a logical fallacy that asserts that if your ideas provoke the establishment to vilify or threaten you, you must be right
Galileo fallacy
214
"In baseball, we often hear that a player is 'due' because it has been awhile since he has had a hit, or had a hit in a particular situation.
"The flip side of this is the notion of the 'hot hand,' the idea that a string of successful outcomes is more likely than usual to be followed by a successful outcome. . . .
Variant of gambler's fallacy
215
their chances of having a girl are better, because they have already had three boys.
Gamblers fallacy example
216
If by ‘war’ you mean the neocon-inspired slaughter, the bloody machinations of militarists, the hate from the Christian right, the mania of lockstep nationalism, then certainly I’m against it.
But if by ‘war’ you mean the efforts of our new, enlightened president to wind down the situation that he has inherited, and which are not so easy to just stop now that they are in motion, that are a proportionate response to the terrorist threat, the military actions in which our troops are going to be peace keepers in Iraq while most of them are reallocated to Afghanistan, the necessary control of Islamist extremists, or if you mean the removal of the tyrant of Libya, the nurturing of the Libyan people’s legitimate aspirations, and the aspirations of the Syrian people, then certainly I am for it.
That is my stand. I will not retreat from it. I will not compromise.”
Example of if by whiskey
217
appeal to emotion
where an argument is made due to the manipulation of emotions, rather than the use of valid reasoning
218
Power lines cause cancer. I met a little boy with cancer who lived just 20 miles from a power line who looked into my eyes and said, in his weak voice, “Please do whatever you can so that other kids won’t have to go through what I am going through.” I urge you to vote for this bill to tear down all power lines and replace them with monkeys on treadmills.
appeal to emotion
219
The new PowerTangerine computer gives you the power you need. If you buy one, people will envy your power. They will look up to you and wish they were just like you. You will know the true joy of power. TangerinePower.
appeal to emotion
220
The new UltraSkinny diet will make you feel great. No longer be troubled by your weight. Enjoy the admiring stares of the opposite sex. Revel in your new freedom from fat. You will know true happiness if you try our diet!
appeal to emotion
221
Bill goes to hear a politician speak. The politician tells the crowd about the evils of the government and the need to throw out the peoople who are currently in office. After hearing the speach, Bill is full of hatred for the current politicians. Because of this, he feels good about getting rid of the old politicians and accepts that it is the right thing to do because of how he feels.
appeal to emotion
222
Our new cutlery set will make you feel so good when you see it laid out on your dining table. 'Style and Grace' is the right thing for you.
appeal to emotion
223
The Maki people of the South are known to be invading our towns! They are corrupting our children and taking our jobs!! Vote for me and I will eradicate this menace!
appeal to emotion
224
Either P or Q is true.
Q is frightening.
Therefore, P is true.
appeal to fear
225
a specific type of appeal to emotion where an argument is made by increasing fear and prejudice towards the opposing side
appeal to fear
226
"You are either with us, or you are with the terrorists"
appeal to fear
227
"If you continue to drink, you will die early as your father did."
appeal to fear
228
"If you cannot graduate from high school, you will live in poverty for the rest of your life."
appeal to fear
229
"Voting for him is the same as voting for the terrorists."
appeal to fear
230
If you tell a lie, then no one will ever believe what you say again."
appeal to fear
231
If we don't go to war, our country will be destroyed."
appeal to fear
232
a specific type of appeal to emotion where an argument is made due to the use of flattery to gather support
appeal to flattery
233
"Surely a man as smart as you can see this is a brilliant proposal." (failing to accept the proposal is a tacit admission of stupidity)
appeal to flattery
234
You should certainly be the one who washes the dishes -- you are just so good at it!
appeal to flattery
235
Salesguy: You should definitely buy this car. You look so good in it -- you look at least ten years younger behind that wheel.
Tamera: I’ll take it!
appeal to flattery
236
an argument attempts to induce pity to sway opponents
appeal to pity
237
"You must have graded my exam incorrectly. I studied very hard for weeks specifically because I knew my career depended on getting a good grade. If you give me a failing grade I'm ruined!"
appeal to pity
238
"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, look at this miserable man, in a wheelchair, unable to use his legs. Could such a man really be guilty of embezzlement?"
appeal to pity
239
"Lord Byron shouldn't win the poetry competition: he doesn't need the prize money."
appeal to pity
240
an argument is made by presenting the opponent's argument in a way that makes it appear ridiculous.
appeal to ridicule
241
Person 1 claims that X is true.
Person 2 makes X look ridiculous, by misrepresenting X.
Therefore, X is false.
appeal to ridicule
242
Evolution is the idea that humans come from pond scum.
appeal to ridicule
243
Those other cars look ridiculous. This is the only man's car here.
appeal to ridicule
244
Those clothes would make you look like a overdressed donkey.
appeal to ridicule
245
a specific type of appeal to emotion where an argument is made through exploiting people's bitterness or spite towards an opposing party
appeal to spite
246
Why shouldn't prisoners be forced to do hard labor? Prisons are full of scumbags!
appeal to spite
247
Stop recycling! Aren't you tired of Hollywood celebrities preaching to everyone about saving the Earth?
appeal to spite
248
Why should benefits for certain students be reinstated, when I got nothing from the state and had to sacrifice to pay for my studies?
appeal to spite
249
a specific type of appeal to emotion where a decision is made according to what might be pleasing to imagine, rather than according to evidence or reason
wishful thinking
250
I wish X were true.
| Therefore, X is true.
wishful thinking
251
I know in my heart of hearts that our home team will win the World Series.
wishful thinking
252
I really hope that I don’t have to spend my eternity with my Aunt Edna, who really loved me, but she drove me nuts with her constant jabbering.
wishful thinking
253
I want P to be true.
| Therefore, P is true.
wishful thinking
254
where an assertion is deemed true or false based on an assumed pretense of equality
appeal to equality
255
where a premise is dismissed by calling into question the motives of its proposer.
appeal to motive
256
"That website recommended ACME's widget over Megacorp's widget. But the website also displays ACME advertising on their site, so they were probably biased in their review." The thesis in this case is the website's evaluation of the relative merits of the two products.
appeal to motive
257
"The referee comes from the same place as (a sports team), so his refereeing was obviously biased towards them." In this case, the thesis consists of the referee's rulings.
appeal to motive
258
"My opponent argues on and on in favor of allowing that mall to be built in the center of town. What he won't tell you is that his daughter and her friends plan to shop there once it's open."
appeal to motive
259
wherein judgment is based solely on whether the subject of judgment is 'natural' or 'unnatural'
appeal to nature
260
N is natural.
Therefore, N is good or right.
U is unnatural.
Therefore, U is bad or wrong.
appeal to nature
261
I shop at Natural Happy Sunshine Store (NHSS), which is much better than your grocery store, because at NHSS everything is natural
appeal to nature
262
where a proposal is claimed to be superior or better solely because it is new or modern
appeal to novelty
263
"If you want to lose weight, your best bet is to follow the latest diet."
appeal to novelty
264
"The department will become more profitable because it has been reorganized."
appeal to novelty
265
"Upgrading all your software to the most recent versions will make your system more reliable."
appeal to novelty
266
"Things are bad with party A in charge, thus party B will bring an improvement if they're elected."
appeal to novelty
267
"If you want to make friends, you have to wear the latest fashion and the trendiest gadgets."
appeal to novelty
268
“New is always better.”
appeal to novelty
269
supporting a conclusion because the arguer is poor (or refuting because the arguer is wealthy).
appeal to poverty
270
Family farms are struggling to get by so when they say we need to protect them, they must be on to something.
appeal to poverty
271
The homeless tell us it’s hard to find housing. Thus it must be.
appeal to poverty
272
The monks have forsworn all material possessions. They must have achieved enlightenment.
appeal to poverty
273
All you need to know about the civil war in that country is that the rebels live in mud huts, while the general who sends troops against them sits in a luxurious, air-conditioned office.
appeal to poverty
274
concluding that a statement is correct because the speaker is rich (or that a statement is incorrect because the speaker is poor).
appeal to wealth
275
If you’re so smart, why aren’t you rich?
appeal to wealth
276
This new law is a good idea. Most of the people against it are riff-raff who make less than $20,000 a year.
appeal to wealth
277
Warren Buffett is hosting a seminar. This seminar is better than others, because Warren Buffett is richer than most people.
appeal to wealth
278
where a proposition is claimed to be true or good solely because many people believe it to be so
Argumentum ad populum
279
Nine out of ten of my constituents oppose the bill, therefore it is a bad idea.
Argumentum ad populum
280
Fifty million Elvis fans can't be wrong.
Argumentum ad populum
281
Everyone's doing it.
Argumentum ad populum
282
In a court of law, the jury vote by majority; therefore they will always make the correct decision.
Argumentum ad populum
283
Many people buy extended warranties, therefore it is wise to buy them
Argumentum ad populum
284
Millions of people agree with my viewpoint, therefore it must be right.
Argumentum ad populum
285
arguing that because two things share a property they are the same
Association Fallacy
286
John is a con artist. John has black hair. Therefore, all people with black hair are con artists.
Association Fallacy
287
Jane is good at mathematics. Jane is dyslexic. Therefore, all dyslexic people are good at mathematics
Association Fallacy
288
Simon, Karl, Jared, and Brett are all friends of Josh, and they are all petty criminals. Jill is a friend of Josh; therefore, Jill is a petty criminal.
Association Fallacy
289
Source S makes claim C.
Group G, which is currently viewed negatively by the recipient, also makes claim C.
Therefore, source S is viewed by the recipient of the claim as associated to the group G and inherits how negatively viewed it is.
Guilt by association
290
Citizens of Country X won more Nobel Prizes, gold medals, and literary awards than citizens of Country Y. Therefore, a citizen of Country X is superior to a citizen of Country Y.
Honor by association
291
inferring why an argument is being used, associating it to some psychological reason, then assuming it is invalid as a result.
Bulverism
292
It is wrong to assume that if the origin of an idea comes from a biased mind, then the idea itself must also be a falsehood
Bulverism
293
You claim that A is true.
Because of B, you personally desire that A should be true.
Therefore, A is false.
Bulverism
294
You claim that A is false.
Because of B, you personally desire that A should be false.
Therefore, A is true.
Bulverism
295
where a thesis is deemed incorrect because it was commonly held when something else, clearly false, was also commonly held
Chronological Snobbery
296
Why must we accept medieval art as having any value when it emerged from the same period in which people burned witches and believed in fairies?
Chronological Snobbery
297
(1) It is argued that p implies q.
(2) That p implies q was argued long ago when people also believed such absurdities as r, s, and t.
(3) We are modern and up-to-date and thoroughly rational and do not associate with such stupid, primitive, pre-rational, superstitious, iron-age thinking.
Therefore,
(4) We do not deign to suppose that p implies q.
(5) That which we do not deign to suppose to be true is untrue.
Therefore,
(6) p does not imply q.
Chronological Snobbery
298
dismissing an argument due to the existence of more important, but unrelated, problems in the world.
Fallacy of relative privation
299
Scenario S is presented.
Scenario B is presented as a best-case.
Therefore, Scenario S is not that good.
Scenario S is presented.
Scenario B is presented as a worst-case.
Therefore, Scenario S is very good.
Fallacy of relative privation
300
Be happy with the 1972 Chevy Nova you drive. There are many people in this country that don’t have any car
Fallacy of relative privation
301
Son: I am so excited! I got an “A” on my physics exam!
Dad: Why not an “A+”? This means that you answered something incorrectly. That is not acceptable!
Fallacy of relative privation
302
B happened, and is worse than A.
| Therefore A is justified.
Fallacy of relative privation
303
"Stalin wasn't as bad as Hitler"
Fallacy of relative privation
304
"Women are stereotyped by the media, but it isn't as big of a problem as poverty, wars, or human rights in the world!"
Fallacy of relative privation
305
"Yes, the US is keeping secret prisons, but we're not as bad as Saddam Hussein!"
Fallacy of relative privation
306
"Barack Obama might be detaining people without trial and bombing civilians in other countries, but Bush did far worse."
Fallacy of relative privation
307
where a conclusion is suggested based solely on something or someone's origin rather than its current meaning or context
Genetic Fallacy
308
America will never settle down; look at the rabble-rousers who founded it.
Genetic Fallacy
309
The origin of the claim is presented.
| Therefore, the claim is true/false.
Genetic Fallacy
310
Lisa was brainwashed as a child into thinking that people are generally good. Therefore, people are not generally good.
Genetic Fallacy
311
He was born to Catholic parents and raised as a Catholic until his confirmation in 8th grade. Therefore, he is bound to want to defend some Catholic traditions and, therefore, cannot be taken seriously.
Genetic Fallacy
312
insulting or pejorative language to influence the recipient's judgment.
Judgmental Language
313
Conscription is the only working way to have a reliable and efficient army. We are far safer when we are defended by our very own sons than by some mercenaries, who will just fight for pay.
Judgmental Languange
314
an argument based on misrepresentation of an opponent's position
Straw man fallacy
315
Person 1 asserts proposition X.
Person 2 argues against a false but superficially similar proposition Y, as if an argument against Y were an argument against X.
Straw man fallacy
316
Quoting an opponent's words out of context—i.e., choosing quotations that misrepresent the opponent's actual intentions
Straw man fallacy
317
Inventing a fictitious persona with actions or beliefs which are then criticized, implying that the person represents a group of whom the speaker is critical.
Straw man fallacy
318
Oversimplifying an opponent's argument, then attacking this oversimplified version.
Straw man fallacy
319
A: We should relax the laws on beer.
B: 'No, any society with unrestricted access to intoxicants loses its work ethic and goes only for immediate gratification.
Straw man fallacy
320
Prof. Jones: "The university just cut our yearly budget by $10,000."
Prof. Smith: "What are we going to do?"
Prof. Brown: "I think we should eliminate one of the teaching assistant positions. That would take care of it."
Prof. Jones: "We could reduce our scheduled raises instead."
Prof. Brown: " I can't understand why you want to bleed us dry like that, Jones."
straw man fallacy
321
"Senator Jones says that we should not fund the attack submarine program. I disagree entirely. I can't understand why he wants to leave us defenseless like that."
straw man fallacy
322
Bill and Jill are arguing about cleaning out their closets:
Jill: "We should clean out the closets. They are getting a bit messy."
Bill: "Why, we just went through those closets last year. Do we have to clean them out everyday?"
Jill: "I never said anything about cleaning them out every day. You just want too keep all your junk forever, which is just ridiculous."
straw man fallacy
323
Proponents of sex education want to give kids license to have sex with no consequences.
straw man fallacy
324
improperly asserting a cause to explain a cluster of data.
Texas sharpshooter fallacy
325
differences in data are ignored, but similarities are stressed.
Texas sharpshooter fallacy
326
Beasts wild with hunger will cross the rivers,
The greater part of the battle will be against Hister.
He will cause great men to be dragged in a cage of iron,
When the son of Germany obeys no law.
Surely he must have had some vision of Hitler!
Texas sharpshooter fallacy
327
SuperCyberDate.con determined that Sally and Billy are a great match because they both like pizza, movies, junk food, Janet Jackson, and vote republican.
Texas sharpshooter fallacy
328
the argument states that a certain position is false or wrong or should be disregarded because its proponent fails to act consistently in accordance with that position
Tu quoque
329
Person 1 is claiming that Y is true, but person 1 is acting as if Y is not true.
Therefore, Y must not be true.
TU QUOQUE
330
Helga: You should not be eating that... it has been scientifically proven that eating fat burgers are no good for your health.
Hugh: You eat fat burgers all the time so that can’t be true.
TU QUOQUE
331
Peter: "Based on the arguments I have presented, it is evident that it is morally wrong to use animals for food or clothing."
Bill: "But you are wearing a leather jacket and you have a roast beef sandwich in your hand! How can you say that using animals for food and clothing is wrong!"
TU QUOQUE
332
occurs when it is assumed that if one wrong is committed, another wrong will cancel it out
Two wrongs make a right
333
Speaker A: You shouldn't embezzle from your employer. It's against the law.
Speaker B: My employer cheats on their taxes. That's against the law, too!
Two wrongs make a right
334
Speaker A: President Williams lied in his testimony to Congress. He should not do that.
Speaker B: But you are ignoring the fact that President Roberts lied in his Congressional testimony!
Two wrongs make a right
335
Person 1 did X to person 2.
Therefore, Person 2 is justified to do X to person 1.
Person 1 believes that person 2 would do X to person 1.
Therefore, Person 1 is justified to do X to person 2.
Two wrongs make a right
336
Jimmy stole Tommy’s lunch in the past.
| Therefore, it is acceptable for Tommy to steal Jimmy’s lunch today
Two wrongs make a right
337
It looks like the waiter forgot to charge us for the expensive bottle of champagne. Let’s just leave -- after all, if he overcharged us, I doubt he would chase us down to give us our money back that we overpaid.
Two wrongs make a right
338
The tendency to avoid options for which missing information makes the probability seem "unknown"
Ambiguity Effect
339
I know that there is at best a moderate chance of my winning a local singing competition as the local singers are good. There is a competition in the next town but I do not know how good the singers are there. Rather than 'risk it' I just enter for the local competition.
Ambiguity Effect
340
Most people would choose a regular paycheck over the unknown payoff of a business venture.
Ambiguity Effect
341
If a student is reading reviews of professors online, and they have the option between a known teacher that is ranked average and a teacher who is new to the school, and is without ranking—they will likely choose the known one.
Ambiguity Effect
342
If a board of directors is deciding whether to keep with the same strategy that is continuing to lose steam or take a chance on a new one—they’re likely to feel an urge to stick to what they’ve seen and understand. -
Ambiguity Effect
343
Two cars are for sale. One of them has a Car Fax that’s okay—it shows a small accident, the other has none. A buyer is more likely to choose the one that’s known. - See more at: http://mikeyanderson.com/hacking-the-mind-by-understanding-biases-ambiguity-effect#sthash.p1Ygxljz.dpuf
Ambiguity Effect
344
Smoking isn’t harmful. My grandfather smoked a pack a day and lived until 97
Anecdotal Fallacy
345
You can’t prove that there aren’t Martians living in caves under the surface of Mars, so it is reasonable for me to believe there are.
Argument from ignorance
346
You can’t prove that there isn’t a mirror universe of our own, so there must be one out there somewhere!
Read more at http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-ignorance-fallacy.html#Hc4Pl81AwhcH65kf.99
Argument from ignorance
347
Israel is an ally of the United States; therefore, everything Israel does is good, and the United States should unquestionably back Israel in anything it does.
Read more at http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-ignorance-fallacy.html#Hc4Pl81AwhcH65kf.99
Argument from ignorance
348
A woman living in Pennsylvania watches the nightly news, and sees reports of kidnappings and violence on the border between Arizona and Mexico. Her daughter lives in Arizona, several hours away from the border. Because the woman sees kidnappings and violence on the news, she tells her daughter that she better move out of Arizona or else she will be kidnapped.
Read more at http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-ignorance-fallacy.html#Hc4Pl81AwhcH65kf.99
Argument from ignorance
349
When speaking to an audience who has never personally known a Jewish person, the speaker refers to Jewish people as being stingy, greedy, or otherwise obsessed with their money. The audience believes this assumption.
Read more at http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-ignorance-fallacy.html#Hc4Pl81AwhcH65kf.99
Argument from ignorance
350
When the definition is made more difficult to understand than the word or concept being defined.
Failure to Elucidate
351
Person 1 makes a claim.
Person 2 asks for clarification of the claim, or a term being used.
Person 1 restates the claim or term in a more confusing way.
Failure to Elucidate
352
Making an argument based on the worst-case scenario rather than the most probable scenario, allowing fear to prevail over reason.
Just in case fallacy
353
It would be a good idea to accept claim X since it is possible for event Y
Just in case fallacy
354
Maury, you should really wear a helmet when playing chess. You can easily get excited, fall off your chair, and crack your head open.
Just in Case fallacy
355
Failing to appeal to an underlying cause, and instead simply appealing to membership in a category. In other words, simply asserting what you are trying to explain without actually explaining anything.
Limited depth fallacy
356
My dog goes through our garbage because he is a dog.
Limited depth fallacy
357
The theory doesn't explain anything other than the phenomenon it explains, and at best, is likely to be incomplete. This is often done by just redefining a term or phrase rather than explaining it.
Limited scope fallacy
358
My car broke down because it is no longer working.
Limited scope fallacy
359
People often make hasty decisions because they don’t take enough time to consider their choices.
Limited scope fallacy
360
Assuming things that are often grouped together must always be grouped together, or the assumption that the ungrouping will have significantly more severe effects than anticipated.
package deal fallacy
361
X and Y usually go together.
| Therefore, X or Y cannot be separated.
package deal fallacy
362
Michael is part of the Jackson Five. Without Tito and company, he will never make it.
package deal fallacy
363
When an abstraction (abstract belief or hypothetical construct) is treated as if it were a concrete, real event or physical entity -- when an idea is treated as if had a real existence.
reification
364
If you are open to it, love will find you.
reification
365
Assuming that the media’s coverage of a certain class or category is representative of the class or category in whole.
spot light fallacy
366
The media have been covering X quite a bit by describing it as Y.
Therefore, X can be described as Y.
spotlight fallacy
367
Taking a statement of conversion as valid without actually hearing a reason for the conversion
statement of converstion fallacy
368
I used to believe in X.
| Therefore, X is wrong.
statement of converstion fallacy
369
Reason and logic are not always reliable, so we should not count on it to help us find truth.
stolen concept fallacy
370
The presidential nominee has been accused of being racist. But he recently stated that he really liked the movie, “Roots,” so I guess he isn’t racist.
tokenism
371
: Interpreting a token gesture as an adequate substitute for the real thing.
tokenism
372
Mr. McBoss' company consists of 50 executives who are all men, and 50 secretaries who are all women. To show he is all about equal opportunity, he has agreed to hire a woman executive.
tokensims
373
I have tiny, invisible unicorns living in my anus. Unfortunately, these cannot be detected by any kind of scientific equipment.
unfalsifiability
374
Refusing to change one’s mind or consider conflicting information based on a desire to maintain one's existing beliefs.
willed ignorance
375
I believe X.
You have evidence for Y.
I don’t want to see it because I don't want to stop believing in X.
willed ignorance
376
I don’t want anything coming in the way of me and my beliefs; therefore, I will only socialize with people who share my beliefs.
willed ignorance
377
I know what I know, and I refuse to debate!
willed ignorance
378
Only 6% of applicants make it into this school, but my son is brilliant! They are certainly going to accept him!
base rate fallacy
379
All forest creatures live in the woods.
All leprechauns are forest creatures.
Therefore, some leprechauns live in the woods.
existential fallacy
380
All babysitters have pimples.
All babysitter club members are babysitters.
Therefore, some babysitter club members have pimples.
existential fallacy
381
X is true because you cannot prove that X is false.
| X is false because you cannot prove that X is true.
argument from ignorance
382
Although we have proven that the moon is not made of spare ribs, we have not proven that its core cannot be filled with them; therefore, the moon’s core is filled with spare ribs.
argument from ignorance
383
I believe one should never deliberately hurt another person, that’s why I can never be a surgeon.
accident fallacy
384
Person 1 claims that Y is true, but is person 1 really sure about that?
Therefore, Y is false.
ad fidentia
385
Claim X is true because of evidence Y.
Evidence Y is demonstrated not to be acceptable evidence.
Therefore, it must be guess Z then, even though there is no evidence for guess Z.
ad hoc rescue
386
Person 1 is claiming Y.
Person 1 has a vested interest in Y being true.
Therefore, Y is false.
ad hominem (circumstantial)
387
Guy working a booth in the mall: Excuse me, but you look like you can use a vacation! Do you have a few minutes to chat about vacation destinations, or would you prefer I just send you some information by e-mail?
alternative advance
388
Claim X is made.
| Y is concluded based on an ambiguous understanding of X.
ambiguity fallcy
389
It is said that we have a good understanding of our universe. Therefore, we know exactly how it began and exactly when.
ambiguity fallacy
390
If we can put a man on the moon, we can cure all forms of cancer.
appeal to the moon
391
Person 1 says that Y is true.
Person 1 was an ancient mystic.
Therefore, Y is true.
argument from age
392
X is one extreme, and Y is another extreme.
There is no definable point where X becomes Y.
Therefore, there is no difference between X and Y.
continuum fallacy
393
Lolita: Since about half the people in the world are female, the chances of the next person to walk out that door being female is about 50/50.
Celina: Do you realize that is the door to Dr. Vulvastein, the gynecologist?
ludic fallacy
394
In looking at the records of my students, I have found that 9 out of 10 are an only child. Therefore, society is moving towards one-child families.
post designation
395
"I do not exist" — The speaker denies the idea that she exists, but in the very act of making the statement she presumes her existence.
stolen concept fallacy
396
"Some say..."; "It has been suggested..."; "It is widely thought..." and so on.
weasel words
397
an irrational and obsessive feeling or fear that one is the object of collective hostility or ill-treatment on the part of others.
persecution complex
398
logical fallacy of believing that everyone you hate is the same
jonanism
399
believes all of her opponents are anti-feminist or anti-women. When told she's nuts it's taken as proof the "misogynists" are persecuting her.
jonanism
400
Islamic Awakening- Thinks everybody against them is "anti-Muslim" and the fact that the "heathens" consider them crazy is evidence they're doing good.
jonanism
