Logical Fallacies

Question 1

strawman

Answer 1

misrepresenting someone’s argument to make it easier to attack and present your own position

Question 2

slippery slope

Answer 2

asserting that if we allow A to happen, Z will consequently happen too, therefore we should prevent A

Question 3

special pleading

Answer 3

making exceptions once a claim is shown to be false; inventing ways to cling to old, false beliefs

Question 4

the gambler’s fallacy

Answer 4

the mistaken belief that if something happens more frequently than normal during a given period, it will happen less frequently in the future

Question 5

black or white

Answer 5

when two alternative states are presented as the only possibilities, when in fact more possibilities exist; either/or presented

Question 6

false cause

Answer 6

presuming a real or perceived relationship between things means one is the cause of the other (mistaking correlation for causation)

Question 7

ad hominem

Answer 7

attacking the opponent’s character or personal traits in an attempt to undermine their argument

Question 8

loaded question

Answer 8

asking a question with an assumption built into it so that it can’t be answered without appearing guilty

Question 9

bandwagon

Answer 9

using the popularity of an idea to claim validity

Question 10

begging the question

Answer 10

a circular argument in which the conclusion is included in the proposition

Question 11

appeal to authority

Answer 11

claiming that because an authority thinks something is true, it must be true

Question 12

appeal to nature

Answer 12

making the argument that because something is ‘natural’ it is valid, justified, good, or ideal

Question 13

composition/division

Answer 13

assuming what’s true about one part of something has to be applied to all parts of it

Question 14

anecdotal

Answer 14

using personal experience or an isolated example instead of valid argument, especially to dismiss statistics

Question 15

appeal to emotion

Answer 15

manipulating an emotional response in place of a valid argumen

Question 16

tu quoque

Answer 16

responding to criticism with more criticism instead of a valid argument

Question 17

burden of proof

Answer 17

saying that the burden of proof lies with someone else to disprove, not with the person making the claim (teapot in space ex)

Question 18

no true scotsman

Answer 18

seeing a criticism as valid, new criteria are employed to dissociate one’s argument; dismiss relevant criticisms

Question 19

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 wrong because a fallacy has been committed

Question 21

personal incredulity

Answer 21

saying that because one finds something difficult to understand, it is not true

Question 22

ambiguity

Answer 22

using double meaning to mislead or misrepresent the truth

Question 23

genetic

Answer 23

judging something as good or bad based on where i comes from, or from whom

Question 24

middle ground

Answer 24

saying that a compromise between two extremes must be the truth