Logical Fallacies TERM EXPLANATION EXAMPLE Non Sequitur Stating a claim that doesn't follow from Jenn should marry Mateo. In college he got your first premise or statement; Latin for "It all As. does not follow" Oversimplification Offering easy solutions for complicated If we want to end substance abuse, let's send problems every drug user to prison for life . (Even aspirin users!) Post Hoc Ergo Assuming a cause-and-effect relationship After Jenny's black cat crossed my path, Propter Hoc where none exists even though one event everything went wrong, and I failed my preceded another; Latin for "after this, midterm. therefore because of this" All ness Stating or implying that something is true of Students enjoy studying. (All students! All an entire class of things, often using all, subjects! All the time!) everyone, no one, always, or never Proof by Example or Presenting an example as proof rather than Armenians are great chefs. My neighbor is Too Few Examples as illustration or clarification; Armenian, and can he cook! overgeneralizing (the basis of much prejudice) Begging the Question Proving a statement already taken for Rapists are dangerous because they are granted, often by repeating it in different menaces. words or by defining a word in terms of itself Circular Reasoning Supporting a statement with itself; a form of Happiness is the state of being happy. begging the question Either/Or Reasoning Oversimplifying by assuming that an issue He is a liar because he simply isn't telling has only two sides, a statement must be true the truth. or false, a question demands a yes or no answer, or a problem has only two possible solutions (and one that's acceptable) Argument from Using an unidentified authority to shore up According to some of the most knowing Dubious Authority a weak argument or an authority whose scientists in America, smoking two packs a expertise lies outside the issue, such as a day is as harmless as eating oatmeal television personality selling insurance cookies. Argument Attacking an individual's opinion by Carruthers may argue that we need to save ad Hominem attacking his or her character, thus the whales, but he's the type who gets deflecting attention from the merit of a emotional over nothing. proposal; Latin for "against the man" Argument from Maintaining that a claim has to be accepted Despite years of effort, no one has proved Ignorance because it hasn't been disproved or that it that ghosts don't exist; therefore, we should has to be rejected because it has not been expect to see them at any time. proved No one has ever shown that life exists on any other planet; clearly the notion of other living things in the universe is absurd. Argument by Treating an extended comparison between People were born free as the birds; it's cruel Analogy familiar and unfamiliar items, based on to expect them to work. similarities and ignoring differences, as evidence rather than as a useful way of explaining Bandwagon Argument Suggesting that everyone is joining the Purchasing the new Swallowtail admits you group and readers who don't may miss out to the nation's most elite group of drivers. on happiness, success, or a reward Logical Fallacies

Red Herring: This is a diversionary tactic that avoids The level of mercury in seafood may be the key issues, often by avoiding unsafe, but what will fishers do to opposing arguments rather than support their families? addressing them. Example:

Straw Man: This move oversimplifies an opponent's People who don't support the proposed viewpoint and then attacks that hollow state minimum wage increase hate the argument. poor.

Slippery Slope: This is a conclusion based on the If we ban Hummers because they are premise that if A happens, then bad for the environment eventually the eventually through a series of small government will ban all cars, so we steps, through B, C,..., X, Y, Z will should not ban Hummers. happen, too, basically equating A and Z. So, if we don't want Z to occur, A must not be allowed to occur either. Example: