Logical Fallacies

Multiple Choice

Which logical fallacy involves misrepresenting the other viewpoint by taking a small piece of an argument, and distorting (twisting) the words around to fit your position?

Ex.) Person A: "Harsh prison sentences are causing more problems than they’re solving."

Person B: "So what you’re saying is we should just let all the criminals go free!"

• Ad populum/bandwagon

• Hasty generalization

• Slippery slope

• Strawman

Multiple Choice

Which type of fallacy involves avoiding the argument and often coming up with distractions/excuses (often by appealing to the emotions.)

Ex.) "So how well did he sing?"

"He really put in so much work and effort. He broke up with his girlfriend recently, and he has been so stressed out about it. He still stayed up all night practicing his singing, though.

• Circular reasoning

• Red Herring

• False analogy

• Slippery slope

Multiple Choice

Which fallacy involves making a big general statement or conclusion, based on a small amount of evidence.

"I visited a new city, but the first person I met was really rude to me. Thus, everyone from that city is rude."

• Hasty generalization

• False analogy

• Ad hominem (personal attack)

• Slippery slope

Multiple Choice

Which fallacy involves making the conclusion that if this happens, then it will lead to a chain of events going downhill to a very unlikely and usually bad outcome?

"If you don’t do your homework, you won’t get good grades, and you won’t get into a good college, so you won’t get a good job and your life will be ruined!

• Ad hominem (personal attack)

• Hasty generalization

• Slippery slope

• Strawman

Multiple Choice

Which fallacy involves attacking/criticizing the person, instead of addressing the issue?

"My doctor says I need to lose weight, but have you seen how overweight she is?"

• Ad populous/bandwagon

• Hasty generalization

• Either/or or false dichotomy

• Ad hominem (personal attack)

Multiple Choice

Which fallacy is a type of argument in which the conclusion comes back to the premise without providing any outside proof, meaning both sides of the argument are making the same point? (A is true because of B, and B is true because of A.)

"Books are so important to develop your reading, and the only way to truly learn to read is with books."

• Red Herring

• Circular reasoning

• Slippery slope

• Ad populum/bandwagaon

Multiple Choice

Which fallacy involves incorrectly comparing two things based on a shared characteristic?

"Being a teacher is just like being a doctor. Teachers diagnose problems with children and fix them."

• Slippery slope

• False analogy

• Strawman

• Ad hominem (personal attack)

Multiple Choice

Which fallacy appeals to the popular idea or concept as the correct course of action?

"Everybody in our family goes to Georgetown for undergrad, so it only makes sense that you do, too."

• Hasty generalization

• False analogy

• Ad populum/bandwagon

• Circular reasoning

Multiple Choice

Which fallacy presents only two opposing options, with no other alternatives. It uses the "you are either for us, or against us" rhetoric?

"Either the butler did it, or the witness for the defense is lying."

• Red herring

• False anatomy

• Ad hominem (personal attack)

• Either/or reasoning, false dichotomy