Ten Common Logical Fallacies

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Ten Common Logical Fallacies

• English Composition 101

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1 Hasty Generalization

• Even though I KNOW that none of you are
  judgmental, a quick or snap generalization about
  a person, place, or thing can seriously interfere
  with your writing.
• Based on insufficient evidence be wary, be very
  wary!

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2 Ad Hominem

• Shifting your argument from objective to
  personal.
• Attack the author instead of the argument.
• Ex. My Turn

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3 Appeal to Authority

• Authority is not always an expert on the subject
• Ex. Doctors in commercial ads.
• Forget about other side of argument
• Hardest thing to do!

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4 Straw Man

• Inaccurate presentation of ideas
• Creates a straw man or argument that is easy to
  knock down

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5 False Analogy

• Can leader readers and writers astray if it does
  not hold true
• Are the two ideas being compared similar?

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6 Post Hoc or False Cause

• Ideas that follow one another can be directly
  correlated.
• May not cause the other
• Ex. Loser record fired coaches

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7 Appeal to Popularity

• Popularity equals truth and reason
• Advertisers love this fallacy
• Ex. Mean Girls
• Majority can be wrong!

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8 Slippery Slope

• Reasoning has lost its footing.
• No logical route to follow to specific conclusion.

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9 Either/or Fallacy

• Black and White Good vs. Evil
• Colorful world we live in
• Shades and shadows
• Not the only choices
• Both/and

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10 Begging the Question

• Circular reasoning
• Assumes truth without proof
• Ex. An apple a day keeps the doctor away.