Logical Fallacies 1

This line of "reasoning" is fallacious because pity does not serve as evidence for a claimJust to get a scholarship does notjustify a person to be given an A –There are other criteria to be considered

Appeal to pity

1. Could I receive an A for this class. If I don't get an 'A' I won't get the scholarship that I apply for

Logical Fallacies 2

Faulty logic – unqualifiedA generalization. This fallacy is committed when a person draws a conclusion about a population based on a sample that is not large enough

2. All women in my family love babies. All women love babies

Hasty generalization

Logical Fallacies 3

3. You shouldn’t accept nationalhealth care because it is a socialist idea

Red herring

Switching to another issue to distractfrom the main argument. This sort of"reasoning" is fallacious because merely changing the topic of discussion hardly counts as an argument against a claim.

Logical Fallacies 4

4. In a democracy the people are free because democracies are free countries.

Begging the questionCircular argument

This sort of "reasoning" is fallacious because simply assuming that the premise is true does not constitute evidence for that conclusion. Democracy = free country = free people. Circular argument with no end.

Logical Fallacies 5

Hasty generalization

Faulty logic – unqualifiedGeneralization. Making a judgment based on a small Sample.

5. The gang members caught by the police last night comprises immigrants from country X. Most immigrants who work in this country have trouble with the law and come from country X where thievery are rampant.

Logical Fallacies 6

Assumption -- Nader is better than the other candidates, conclusion -- Nader is the best. This sort of "reasoning" is fallacious because simply assuming that the conclusion is true (directly or indirectly) in the premises does not constitute evidence for that conclusion.

Begging the question/ Circular argument

6. Ralph Nader was the best candidate for president, because he was totally better than any of the others.

Logical Fallacies 7

Appeal to fear /scare tactics

It is an appeal to force or threat instead of trying to convince someone with facts or a logical argument

7. If you don't finish your homework you won't get a good grade.  Then you won't be able to get into the college you want.  You will end up cleaning toilets for a living.

Logical Fallacies 8

Ad hominem

Attacking the person rather than the issue. Ad Hominem" means "against the man" or "against the person.Ad Hominem is a fallacy because the character, circumstances, or actions of a person do not (in most cases) have a bearing on the truth of the claim being made (or the quality of the argument being made).

8. How could anyone vote for Hilary Clinton for senator?The fact that she is married to Clinton proves that she has no self respect.

Logical Fallacies 9

9. UFO must exist because no reputable studies have proven conclusively that they do not.

Causal fallacyShifts the burden of proof to the other party in order to make a claim.However, no evidence is given to proof that UFO do exist.

Burden of proof

Logical Fallacies 10

Appeal to vanity/flattery

Here the appeal is to beautiful people. This line of "reasoning" is fallacious because the fact that flattery does not, in general, serve as evidence that the claim is true.

10. If you are beautiful, you could live like this, so buy Buty-EZ and become beautiful.

Logical Fallacies 11

11. State the fallacy implied

Logical Fallacies 12

My friends uses Linux because it makes their PC more powerful & stable. My friend uses Linux so must I.

Appeal to number /Bandwagon / peer pressureImplies something is right because everybody believes so. This line of "reasoning" is fallacious because peer pressure and threat of rejection do not constitute evidence for rejecting a claim

Logical Fallacies 13

Slippery slope /domino theory

No middle road is given. Assumes that when the first action is taken, it would subsequently follow through to the last. Is this true?

12. We can’t allow students any voice in decision making, if we do, it wont be long before they are in total control

Logical Fallacies 14

False dilemma (black or white/ either – or)

Include either…or… . Just gives two opposite extremes instead of allowing for other possibilities. Not all women who survive in this world are brilliant or beautiful.

13. Women need to be either brilliant or beautiful to survive in this world.

Logical Fallacies 15

Strawman (oversimplification)

misrepresent an opponent's position to make it easier to attack, usually by distorting his or her views to ridiculous extremes

14. Those who favor gun-control legislation just want to take all guns away from responsible citizens and put them into the hands of the criminals.