Logical Fallacies

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What is a Logical Fallacy?

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A logical fallacy is an error in reasoning that renders an argument invalid. It often involves a flaw in the logic or structure of the argument.

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What is Circular Reasoning?

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Circular reasoning is a logical fallacy where the conclusion is included in the premise, essentially arguing in a circle.

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Example of Circular Reasoning: 'Quinoa is a delicious, plant-based source of protein because it tastes so darn good.'

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This statement uses circular reasoning because it assumes the conclusion (that quinoa is a good protein source) is true based on the premise (that it tastes good).

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What is a Straw Man Fallacy?

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A straw man fallacy occurs when someone misrepresents an argument to make it easier to attack or refute.

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Example of Straw Man Fallacy: 'Mayor Blake wants to create more bicycle lanes in Lowell. Why is he forcing us to give up our cars and bike everywhere?'

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This misrepresents the argument for bicycle lanes by exaggerating it to an extreme.

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What is Hasty Generalization?

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Hasty generalization is a fallacy in which a conclusion is drawn from an insufficient amount of evidence.

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Example of Hasty Generalization: 'No one in your family surfs? But I thought you said you lived in California before this.'

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This assumes that living in California means everyone should surf, which is not necessarily true.

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What is False Causation?

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False causation is a fallacy that assumes a cause-and-effect relationship where none exists.

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Example of False Causation: 'Since Anna Camacho became vice president of the parent-teacher association, student performance has declined.'

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This implies that Camacho's position caused the decline, without evidence of a direct link.

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What is False Dichotomy?

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False dichotomy is a fallacy that presents two options as the only possibilities when, in fact, more options exist.