Ethical Fallacies

Asks the audience to agree with the assertion of a writer based simply on his/her character or the authority of another person or institution who may not be fully qualified to offer that assertion.

• Ad Hominem

• Guilt By Association

• Strawperson

• False Authority

Compares minor problems with much more serious crimes

• Using Authority Instead of Evidence

• Moral Equivalence

• False Authority

• Guilt by Association

When someone offers personal authority proof.

• Strawperson

• Dogmatism

• Using Authority Instead of Evidence

• Ad Hominem

Calls someone's character into question by examining the character of that person's associates.

• False Authority

• Guilt by Association

• Ad Hominem

• Moral Equivalence

Arguments that attack a person's character rather than that person's reasoning.

• Ad Hominem

• Dogmatism

• Using Authority Instead of Evidence

• Strawperson

Shuts down discussion by asserting that the writer's beliefs are the only acceptable ones.

• Guilt by Association

• Strawperson

• False Authority

• Dogmatism

Arguments set up and often dismantle easily refutable arguments in order to misrepresent an opponent's argument in order to defeat him or her.

• Ad Hominem

• Dogmatism

• Strawperson

• Guilt by Association

Believe me - your history teacher wouldn't do that!

• Using Authority Instead of Evidence

• Dogmatism

• Ad Hominem

• Moral Equivalence

I'm sorry, but Harry Potter is THE BEST SERIES ever. Period.

• Strawperson

• Ad Hominem

• Dogmatism

• Using Authority Instead of Evidence

My father told me that the sky is green. So it must be the truth.

• Using Authority Instead of Evidence

• Moral Equivalence

• Ad Hominem

• False Authority