Logical Fallacies PDF

Logical Fallacies Errors in Reasoning that Convince the Unwary MISREPRESENTING YOUR OPPONENT’S ARGUMENT  PRETENDING YOUR OPPONENT’S WEAKEST ARGUMENT IS THEIR ONLY ONE  Son: “Can we get a pet dog?” Mother: “No” Son: “Why not? It will protect us as well.”...

Logical Fallacies Errors in Reasoning that Convince the Unwary MISREPRESENTING YOUR OPPONENT’S ARGUMENT  PRETENDING YOUR OPPONENT’S WEAKEST ARGUMENT IS THEIR ONLY ONE  Son: “Can we get a pet dog?” Mother: “No” Son: “Why not? It will protect us as well.” Mother: “Still, No” Son: “Why are you leaving us and the home unprotected?” POST HOC ERGO PROPTER HOC JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING HAPPENED FIRST DOESN’T MEANT IT CAUSED WHAT HAPPENED NEXT POST HOC ERGO PROPTER HOC CORRELATION DOESN’T PROVE CAUSATION Rally Caps don’t control the future. Explain  Rejecting a proposal because it might— through a series of steps— cause something very bad to happen.  "We have to stop the tuition increase! The next thing you know, they'll be charging $40,000 a semester!"  "We have to stop the tuition increase! The next thing you know, they'll be charging $40,000 a semester!"  Arguing that there are only 2 possible False positions: mine and Dilemma something really, really bad.  Arguing that there are only 2 possible False positions: mine and Dilemma something really, really bad.  Ad Hominem  Tu Quoque  Defending yourself by accusing your opponent of the same flaw Mr. Messner: Stop giving your students mean names. That’s disrespectful. Me: What? I heard you call your students “nematodes” this morning. Distracting with irrelevant Red information Herring  Proving your Circular argument by assuming your Reasoning argument must be true.  “I have a right to say Circular what I want, therefore you shouldn’t try to Reasoning silence me.” Faulty Arguing through metaphor Analogy  “Guns are like hammers— they’re both tools with Faulty metal parts that could be used to kill someone. And yet it would be ridiculous Analogy to restrict the purchase of hammers—so restrictions on purchasing guns are equally ridiculous.” Faulty Analogy Faulty Just because two situations have similar characteristics, doesn’t Analogy mean they have ALL of the same characteristics.  Appeal Supporting your argument with a to source that is not credible. False Authority  Appeal to False Authority Hasty Supporting your argument without Generalization enough evidence Hasty “People Generalization should never wear hoodies. Mark Zuckerberg wears hoodies.“ Supporting your argument by Bandwagon suggesting that it is popular. Appeal Bandwagon Appeal Logical Fallacies Red Herring Hasty Generalization Ad Hominem Circular Reasoning Tu Quoque Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc Faulty Analogy Appeal to False Authority Straw man Bandwagon Appeal False Dilemma Slippery Slope