Fallacies of the Day

A rainbow appeared in the sky the day before basketball tryouts, and I made the team! If there's a rainbow when I try out in the spring, I'm sure I'll make the team again.

• Is this a HASTY GENERALIZATION (a very broad claim based on very little evidence) ?

• Is this a FALSE CAUSATION (the assumption that because two things happened together, one caused the other)?

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

I'm not surprised, frankly, that someone who gets lost in his own neighborhood would argue that New York has better pizza than Chicago.

• Is this AD HOMINEM (a personal attack against the opponent)?

• Is this STRAW MAN (a misrepresentation of opponent's position to make it easier to argue against)?

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

Of course you don't like rap or hip-hop music! You wear the same clothes every day and have zero fashion sense.

• Is this CIRCULAR REASONING (an argument that supports the claim with the claim itself)?

• Is this AD HOMINEM (personal attack against opponent)?

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

All the popular guys at school are dyeing their hair purple, so you should, too!

• Is this CIRCULAR REASONING ( an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself)?

• Is this BANDWAGON FALLACY (the assumption that the popular choice is automatically correct) ?

• Is this AD HOMINEM (personal attack against opponent) ?

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

Dean, the company you work for just filed for bankruptcy! How can I trust you with our money?

• Is this GUILT BY ASSOCIATION (a negative association intended to discredit someone or something) ?

• Is this a HASTY GENERALIZATION (a very broad claim based on very little evidence) ?

• Is this a STRAW MAN (a misrepresentation of an opponents claim to make it easier to argue against) ?

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

Mayor Kerr wants to create more bicycle lanes in Greenpoint. Why is he forcing us to give up our cars and bike everywhere?

• Is this using BANDWAGON FALLACY (the popular choice has to be the best/right one)?

• Is this using an APPEAL TO NATURE (the assumption that natural things are always good) ?

• Is this using a STRAW MAN ( a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against) ?

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

Officer, I was only driving as fast as everyone around me. I'm sure I wasn't speeding.

• Is this using BANDWAGON FALLACY (the assumption that the popular choice is automatically correct) ?

• Is this using FALSE CAUSATION ( the assumption that because two things happened together, one caused the other) ?

• Is this using FALSE DICHOTOMY (an argument that presents only two choices when there are obviously more) ?

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

This fast food chain claims that they've served five billion people, so they must have the best hamburger in town. Five billion people can't be wrong!

• Is this using false dichotomy: an argument that presents only two choices when more options exist ?

• Is this using bandwagon fallacy: the assumption that the popular choice is automatically correct ?

• Is this using circular reasoning : an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself?

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

In this election, we've seen the highest voter turnout ever recorded. If you have any doubts about Tyler Espinoza's qualifications, just look at how many people have come out to vote for him.

• ad hominem : a personal attack against opponent to discredit him/her

• circular reasoning: an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself

• bandwagon fallacy: the assumption that the popular choice is automatically correct

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

Our competitors use unhealthy sugar substitutes and artificial sweeteners. But Rev-Up Energy Drink contains one hundred percent real cane sugar to fuel your body better.

• straw man: a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against

• bandwagon: assumption that popular choice is automatically correct

• appeal to nature: the assumption that natural things are always good

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.8

CCSS.RI.11-12.5

CCSS.RI.11-12.8

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RI.9-10.5