Logical Fallacies Flashcards
(21 cards)
Argumentum ad Hominem
Argument against the person: arguments attack a person’s character rather than reasoning the issues
Red Herring
attempts to distract by shifting attention away from important issues
Ad Populum (Bandwagon)
an argument that appeals to the emotions of a certain group, despite being logically unsound
Ad Misericordiam
an argument that appeals pitty
Non-Sequitur
This fallacy draws conclusions from premises that do not directly apply
False Dichotomy
The either/ or fallacy that makes the assumption that there are only two alternatives
Straw Person
arguments excessively simplified an opponent’s viewpoint to argue against it more easily
Begging the Question (Circular Reasoning)
occurs when a writer assumes that an argument is in fact true; such an argument circular
Sentimental Appeals
tug at an audience’s heart strings to the point of ignoring the facts perhaps to keep the audience from disagreeing with the writer
Equivocation (splitting hairs)
a statement that is partially correct but that purposely obscurs the entire truth
Faulty Analogy
inaccurate, inappropriate, or misleading comparison between two things
Hasty Generalization
draws conclusions from scanty evidence
Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc
After this, therefore because of this: an argument assumes causation based on the passing of time
Ad Ignorantiam
An appeal to ignorance: an argument that claims something is true or false because there is evidence to prove otherwise
Reductio Ad Absurdum
Reduction to the absurd: a disproof by showing that the consequences of the proposition are absurd; or proof of a proposition by showing that its negation leads to a contradiction
Slippery Slope
when someone makes a claim about a series of events that would lead to one major event, usually a bad event
Appeal to Emotion
(argumentum ad passiones) a logical fallacy characterized by the manipulation of the recipient’s emotions in order to win an argument, especially in the absence of factual evidence
Guilt by Association
occurs when someone connects an opponent to a demonized group of people or to a bad person in order to discredit his or her argument
Appeal to Nature
because something is ‘natural’ it is therefore valid, justified, inevitable, good or ideal
False Causation
occurs when the link between premises and conclusion depends on some imagined causal connection that probably does not exist
Appeal to Authority
(argumentum ad verecundiam) Insisting that a claim is true simply because a valid authority or expert on the issue said it was true, without any other supporting evidence offered
