Logical fallacy

Logical fallacies, or logical errors, are erroneous, illogical, or misleading arguments or claims

See Social Studies skills: Logical and observational fallacies & paradoxes for list of logical and observational fallacies regarding the Social Sciences.

Logical fallacies and tricks

ad hominem
ad populum / bandwagon appeal
begging the question
broken leg fallacy
- presents a solution for a problem caused by that or a related solution
- i.e, break the leg, then offer to fix it
circular argument
- restates the argument rather than proving it
- ex. "She's a great skater because she skates well"
confusing credentials for evidence
- i.e., "98% of dentists recommend flossing"
  - does not provide evidence for the benefits of flossing, just that supposed experts say so
either/or
fallacy of relevance
false equivalence
- illogical comparison of dissimilar subjects
- i.e., comparing "apples to oranges"
genetic fallacy
- fallacy that of the origins of something determine its value
- ex., the VW was designed by Hitler, and Hitler is evil, therefore the VW is evil
hasty generalization
ignoratio elenchi an argument that misses the point
moral equivalence fallacy
- illogically compares things of distinct moral or ethical dimensions
- ex., "That politician who disagrees with me is a Nazi!"
non sequitur
- " Humpty Dumptying" or "Humpty Dumptyisms":
- = an "arbitrary redefinition" like that used by Humpty Dumpty in "Alice in Wonderland"
- who tells Alice, "“When I use a word it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less.”
red herring
strawman fallacy
- = the target of an argument (the "strawman") has nothing to do with the actual argument
either-or fallacy
- incorrectly argues only two options or possibilities
see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fallacies