Examples of Informal Fallacies

Questions and Answers

What is the Argument from Ignorance Fallacy?

Many people I know believe in God, so God probably exists.

If we allow homosexuals to marry, people will eventually be marrying raccoons and trees.

God exists because the Holy Bible says so.

You can't prove aliens don't exist, so they do. (correct)

What is the definition of the Slippery Slope Fallacy?

If we allow homosexuals to marry, people will eventually be marrying raccoons and trees.

What does the appeal to emotion fallacy imply?

Many people I know believe in God, so God probably exists.

What is the concept of Begging the Question or Circular Reasoning?

God exists because the Holy Bible says so, and the Holy Bible is true because it is God's Word. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Composition Fallacy suggest?

Hydrogen and oxygen are dry, so water is dry. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Lottery Fallacy about?

Bob must have cheated in the lottery because the odds of him winning was twenty million to one. Signup and view all the answers

A Hasty Generalization Fallacy is when a conclusion is drawn from insufficient evidence.

True Signup and view all the answers

What is the definition of the Equivocation Fallacy?

Feathers are light and what is light isn't dark. So feathers aren't dark. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Ad Hominem Fallacy state?

I reject his vegetarian argument because he is an omnivore. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Division Fallacy imply?

Water is wet, so hydrogen and oxygen are wet. Signup and view all the answers

What does 'Non Sequitur' mean?

'It does not follow.' Signup and view all the answers

What is the Playing God Fallacy?

Don't interfere! You aren't God. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Appeal to Dubious/Inappropriate Authority Fallacy imply?

Peace is the best strategy because Einstein says so. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Post Hoc ergo Propter Hoc Fallacy suggest?

HDL Cholesterol is negatively correlated with the incidence of heart attacks. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Red Herring Fallacy illustrate?

Bob: You really shouldn't charge them 30% on their loans. It's unethical. Mean Dan: Well, someone else would charge that rate if I didn't. Signup and view all the answers

What is the essence of Cherry Picking Fallacy?

A politician mentions only the cities where his policy was successful. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Relativist Fallacy entail?

'Water is composed of nitrogen and corn' is true for me but false for you. Signup and view all the answers

What is identified in the Absolutism Fallacy?

Politician Paul knows his city needs a tax hike, so he begins to believe that all cities need a tax hike. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Straw Man Fallacy mean?

Criticize the claim that shouldn't kill life, but original claim was shouldn't kill sentient life. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Appeal to Nature Fallacy imply?

It's moral to eat cows because it's natural/part of the cycle of life. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Genetic Fallacy?

It can't be true. He got his idea from a science fiction film. Signup and view all the answers

What does Black and White Thinking refer to?

What are you? A dualist or materialist? Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Informal Fallacies Summary

Argument from Ignorance Fallacy: Asserts that a proposition is true simply because it cannot be proven false—like the existence of aliens.
Slippery Slope Fallacy: A chain reaction argument that suggests allowing one action will lead to extreme and unlikely consequences, such as marrying non-humans.
Appeals to Emotion & Ad Populum: Uses popularity as evidence of truth; belief in God is justified by its widespread acceptance.
Begging the Question/Circular Reasoning: A logic circle where the conclusion is included in the premise, as seen in biblical assertions of God’s existence.
Composition Fallacy: Assumes what is true for individual parts must be true for the whole, incorrectly stating that water (a combination of hydrogen and oxygen) is dry.
Lottery Fallacy: Concludes cheating must be involved if someone wins against overwhelming odds, overlooking the possibility of chance.
Hasty Generalization: Draws a sweeping conclusion from a small sample size; meeting three mean redheads leads to the claim that all redheads are mean.
Equivocation Fallacy: Advances an argument based on shifting definitions of a word, confusing "light" in terms of weight vs. color.
Ad Hominem Fallacy: Attacks the person instead of their argument, rejecting a vegetarian viewpoint based solely on the individual's dietary choices.
Division Fallacy: Applies characteristics of a whole to its parts incorrectly, assuming that because water is wet, its components are also wet.
Non Sequitur: Highlights a logical disconnect between premises and conclusions, indicating an argument fails to follow logically.
Playing God Fallacy: Implies ethical issues arise when one intervenes in matters considered to be outside human jurisdiction.
Appeal to Dubious/Inappropriate Authority: Cites an authority figure whose expertise does not necessarily apply to the subject, like aligning Einstein's authority with peace strategy.
Post Hoc ergo Propter Hoc: Infers causation from correlation, suggesting HDL cholesterol levels directly influence heart attack rates without further evidence.
Red Herring Fallacy: Distracts from the real issue by redirecting the conversation to a different, often irrelevant topic.
Cherry Picking Fallacy: Selectively presents evidence that supports a claim while ignoring contradictory evidence, often used in political discourse.
Relativist Fallacy: Proposes that truth varies from person to person, undermining objective realities with subjective interpretations.
Absolutism Fallacy: Generalizes specific situations to all, such as assuming all cities require tax hikes based merely on his own city’s needs.
Straw Man Fallacy: Misrepresents an opponent's argument to make it easier to attack, focusing on an exaggerated claim rather than the actual stance.
Appeal to Nature Fallacy: Justifies actions, like eating cows, based on their naturalness, conflating natural processes with moral rightness.
Genetic Fallacy: Dismisses an argument based solely on its origin, assuming an idea derived from a science fiction film cannot be valid.
Black and White Thinking: Presents a false dichotomy in philosophical discussions, limiting complex views to two extreme positions.

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Test your understanding of informal fallacies with these flashcards. Each card presents a specific fallacy along with a definition and example. Improve your critical thinking skills by recognizing these common logical errors.