Fallacies Of Thinking

A fallacy is flawed logic or misguided thinking.

Maintaining that because no one has ever proved a claim, it must therefore be false

Appeals to ignorance unfairly shift the burden of proof to someone else

Example: Show me one study that proves seat belts save lives.

Appeal to Ignorance

You are asking for something based on pity or emotions, not facts

This tugs on heartstrings These are often heard in courts of law when a lawyer begs for leniency

Example: “Imagine, your honor, what it must have been like for him. If anyone deserves a break, my client does.”

Appeal to Pity

Something that is argued to be true, because some unnamed authority says it is true.

Example: “Buy Crest! It’s the best toothpaste because nine out of ten dentists prefer it.”

Appeal to Authority

Appeals to everyone’s sense of wanting to belong or be accepted

This suggests that everyone else is doing this or wearing that or going here or there, so you should, too

It’s the “cool thing” to do Example: Everyone on the Lakers wears Brand X shoes … you should wear them, too!

Bandwagon

The argument/claim takes in everything and everyone at once, allowing no exceptions

Example: All teens spend too much time watching TV.

Broad Generalization/Glittering Generalities/Hasty Generalization

Assume in a definition or an argument, the very point you are trying to prove

Very “circular” reasoning Example: I love Mr. Baldwin’s class because I’m always happy in there.

I’m always happy in there because I love Mr. Baldwin’s class.

(But what’s special about the class?) E

Circular Thinking

The argument reduces a solution

to just two possible extremesEliminates all the possibilities in betweenExample: Either this community votes to build a new school or the quality of education will drop dramatically.

Either-Or Thinking

Building your argument with evidence or statements that contain part of the truth … but not the whole truth

Partly true, yet partly untrue Leave out “the rest of the story” Example: The new recycling law is bad because it will cost more money than it saves. (Maybe so; but it will also save the environment.)

Half-Truths

Beware of overly general phrases, such as “it’s a simple question of …” or “it all boils down to …” or “you must realize that … ” Intended to ward off those afraid to argue back.

Example: It’s easy to see that capital punishment protects society.

Generalization/

Oversimplification

Argument attacks the man, not the foe’s argument.

Uses words that carry strong positive or negative feelings, frequently insulting

Attack can distract the audience and lead them away from valid arguments

Example: No one in his right mind would ever do anything that dumb.

Slanted Language/(Argumentum) Ad

Hominem

If an argument/claim comes from a recognized authority in the same field, great

But if the claim comes from a person famous in another

field, it can be misleading Example: Sports Hero: “I’ve tried every cold medicine on the market, and - believe me - nothing works like No Cold.”

Testimonial

You are “baited” with something attractive, but then it is "switched" for something less desirable.

Example: When a store advertises the availability of some wonderful product at a great price, but once you get there you find that none are left and all that remain are much more expensive items.

Bait and Switch

A form that does not change. A “stereotyped” character has no individuality and fits the mold of that particular kind of person.

Example: A fat cop always has a donut in his hand

Stereotype