Vocab List "Argument"

Question 1

Ad Misericordium or Appeal to Pity

Answer 1

The attempt to distract from the truth of the conclusion by the use of pity.

Question 2

Slippery Slope

Answer 2

When an insignificant first even is suggested to lead to a more significant event, which in turn leads to a more significant event and so on until some ultimate event is reached where the connection of each event is not only unwarranted, but with each step it becomes progressively improbable.

Question 3

Hypothesis Contrary to Fact

Answer 3

Offering a poorly supported claim about what might have happened in the past or future if the circumstances were (hypothetically) different.

Question 4

Loaded Question

Answer 4

A question with a presupposition built in; implies something but protects the asker from accusation of false claim.

Question 5

Non Sequitur

Answer 5

When the conclusion does not follow from the premises.

Question 6

No True Scotsman

Answer 6

When a universal claim is refuted rather than conceding the point, the claim is altered by going from universal to specific and failing to give any objective criteria for the specificity.

All X are Y (and it is clearly refuted that all X are not Y). Then all true X are Y.

Question 7

Wishful thinking

Answer 7

The desire for something to be true is used in place of/or as evidence for the truthfulness of a claim.

Question 8

Ad Hominem

Answer 8

“To the man” - diversionary tactic for switching the argument from the issue to the character of the other speaker.

Question 9

Ad Populum or Bandwagon Appeal

Answer 9

Evidence boils down to “everybody’s doing it” so it must be a good thing to do.

Question 10

Ad Vericundium or Appeal to False Authority

Answer 10

Occurs when someone with no authority on a subject is cited as an authority.

Question 11

Begging the Question

Answer 11

A fallacy in which a claim is based on evidence or support that is in doubt. It begs a question whether the support is sound or not.

Question 12

Circular Reasoning

Answer 12

A fallacy that repeats the claim as a way to provide evidence. Ex: “You can’t give me a C! I’m an A student!”

Question 13

Deduction

Answer 13

A logical process whereby one reaches a conclusion by starting with a general principle (major premise) and applying it to a specific case (minor premise)

Question 14

Induction

Answer 14

A logical process whereby the writer goes from minor premise to major premise

Question 15

Either/Or, False Dilemma

Answer 15

A fallacy in which the speaker presents two extreme options as the only possible choices.

Question 16

Faulty Analogy

Answer 16

A fallacy that occurs when an analogy compares two things that are not comparable

Question 17

Hasty Generalization

Answer 17

A fallacy in which a faulty conclusion is reached due to inadequate evidence.

Question 18

Logical Fallacy

Answer 18

Potential vulnerabilities or weaknesses in an argument.

Question 19

Post Hoc or Ergo Propter Hoc

Answer 19

“After which, therefore because of which” - remember economics

Question 20

Straw Man

Answer 20

When a speaker chooses a deliberately poor or oversimplified example in order to ridicule or refute an idea

Question 21

Syllogism

Answer 21

Major premise + minor premise -> conclusion

Question 22

Ad Baculum or Appeal to Fear or Force

Answer 22

When force, coercion or even a threat of force is used in place of a reason in an attempt to justify a conclusion.