Logical fallacy: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 19:25, 28 March 2023

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

erroneous = contains an error of fact or
illogical = draws a conclusion not supported by premises
misleading = deliberately constructed to deceive or mislead

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

Logical fallacies and tricks[edit | edit source]

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
- argument whose premise is its own conclusion
- i.e., 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
weak analogy
see
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fallacies
- Fallacies – The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (unc.edu)

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 **i.e, break the leg, then offer to fix it
 *circular argument
-**restates the argument rather than proving it
+**argument whose premise is its own conclusion
+**i.e., restates the argument rather than proving it
 **ex. "''She's a great skater because she skates well''"
 *confusing credentials for evidence