Identifying Logical Fallacies Flashcard

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What is a hasty generalization?

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A logical fallacy where a conclusion is drawn from insufficient evidence. Example: "All politicians are corrupt because one was caught taking a bribe."

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What is a false dilemma?

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A logical fallacy that presents only two options when more exist. Example: "You either support the new policy, or you don't care about the environment."

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What is a slippery slope argument?

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A fallacy that suggests a minor action will lead to major and often ludicrous consequences. Example: "If we allow students to use calculators, soon they won't be able to do basic math without them."

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What is the bandwagon fallacy?

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A fallacy that suggests something is true or acceptable simply because it is popular. Example: "Everyone is switching to this new phone, so it must be the best."

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What is ad hominem?

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A fallacy that attacks the person making an argument rather than the argument itself. Example: "You can't trust his opinion on climate change; he's not a scientist."

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What is the principle of sufficient reason?

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The principle that everything must have a reason or cause. In fallacies, this principle is often ignored.

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What is an example of an appeal to authority?

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A fallacy that relies on the opinion of someone deemed an authority rather than evidence. Example: "A famous actor says this diet works, so it must be true."

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What is a straw man argument?

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A fallacy that misrepresents an opponent's argument to make it easier to attack. Example: "People who support environmental regulations want to shut down all factories."

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What is a red herring?

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A fallacy that introduces irrelevant information to distract from the main issue. Example: "Why worry about climate change when there are so many homeless people?"

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What is the appeal to emotion fallacy?

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A fallacy that manipulates emotions to win an argument rather than using valid reasoning. Example: "You should donate to this charity because so many sad stories are associated with it."