Fallacies in Reasoning

What is a fallacy?

• an argument that is won by an either/or choice

• a conclusion that is reached by circular reasoning

• an argument that is flawed by faulty logic

• a conclusion that is reached when there are no good solutions

The straw man fallacy is ...

• is the same as the bandwagon fallacy

• when an argument has only two possible solutions but you are led to believe there are more so you can no longer track the argument

• when a debater constructs a more easily defeated version of his opponent's position to attack, rather than addressing his real arguments

A conclusion based on insufficient, incomplete, or biased information

• bandwagon

• hasty generalization

• circular reasoning

• mistaken causality

This happens when you assume that something is acceptable just because it is very common.

• circular reasoning

• ignoring the question

• ad hominem

• bandwagon

An attack or reaction to the person rather than the person’s point/argument

• ad hominem

• bandwagon

• circular reasoning

• either/or

This occurs when one wrongly claims that one event causes another.

• ad hominem

• circular reasoning

• mistaken causality

• bandwagon

This happens when someone diverts the attention of the audience from the real issue or the matter at hand.

• ad hominem

• circular reasoning

• bandwagon

• ignoring the question

What is the either/or fallacy?

• It is when the argument suggests that because a large number of people have adopted a solution we should, too.

• It is when we have to make a rushed conclusion without considering other sides of the argument.

• It is when we believe something is true just because it hasn't been disproven.

• It is when the argument suggests that there are only two options or potential outcomes

What is an example of an appeal to ignorance?

• Nobody has proven that Bigfoot doesn't exist, so therefore Bigfoot exists.

• 1 billion people were served at McDonald's last year, so therefore McDonald's serves delicious food and we should eat there, too.

• Would you rather eat chicken at lunch today or starve?

• That student is wearing the same clothes as yesterday, so therefore that is the student's favorite outfit.

The authority fallacy is when:

• a large number of people have participated in something and the statistic is used to endorse the activity or product (example: a million Australians trying Oral B toothpaste)

• there are only two possible solutions to a problem and you must pick one (example: live where you can eat breakfast at McDonalds or live in a dictatorship)

• a celebrity or other source of authority is used to "endorse" your argument even though that celebrity/authority is not legitimately connected to the argument (example: Alex Trebek as a spokesperson for an insurance product)