Logical Fallacies

Because doctors smoke it must be a healthy choice.

• hasty generalization

• moral equivalence

• straw man

• slippery slope

We should stop using hairspray because it is snowing in New York.

• hasty generalization

• non sequitur

• ad hominem

• moral equivalence

If we use just one more can of hairspray this month, earth as we know it will no longer exist.

• hasty generalization

• slippery slope

• red herring

• straw man

We either ban hairspray or the world will end.

• slippery slope

• non sequitur

• either/or (black/white) (binary)

• moral equivalence

We cannot listen to John’s opinion on global warming because he is a tree hugger.

• ad hominem

• circular reasoning

• straw man

• red herring

The news is fake because so much of the news is fake.

• ad hominem

• moral equivalence

• non sequitur

• circular reasoning

Occurs when an argument which is supposed to prove something concludes something else instead

• INCONSISTENCY

• AFFIRMING CONSEQUENT

• IRRELEVANT CONCLUSION

2. Occurs when an arguments contradict one another

• INCONSISTENCY

• AFFIRMING CONSEQUENT

• IRRELEVANT CONCLUSION

6. Occurs when an argument is considered to be valid because it is what the majority thinks

• BANDWAGON

• APPEAL TO FORCE

• ATTACKING THE PERSON

7. Occurs when someone tries to refute an argument by attacking the character of a person instead of attacking the ideas of the argument

• BANDWAGON

• APPEAL TO FORCE

• ATTACKING THE PERSON