The Fallacy Detective

Red Herring

• I think grizzly bears are dangerous.

• None.

• Grizzly bears are dangerous because that sign over there says that they aren't.

• Grizzly bears are dangerous! You can tell because they look very fearsome!

Special Pleading

• My mom said that I could be out

  for an extra hour.

• But, I was only out for an extra minute! You can't punish me

  for breaking curfew by one minute!

• None.

• Rock climbing is perfectly safe, despite the

  fact that 67% of Americans think it's dangerous.

Ad Hominem

• That hat doesn't look very

  good on you.

• Hallie isn't right. She based her facts on

  things that are false.

• Sara can't be right. She likes fidget spinners.

  Those are like so 2018

• None.

Tu Quoque

• None.

• If you like it, then I will like it.

• Sarah never finishes her homework, but I

  always finish mine

• Sam is a good role model, so I want to be

  like him.

Genetic Fallacy

• I can't believe you like ice cream! It started as a

  disgusting mix of who knows what!

• Hair spray is evil because of all the chemicals

  that are in it.

• Dry erase markers are bad for you

  because of the smell.

• I don't believe in plays because they

  were started by pagans.

Faulty Appeal to Authority

• My fellow businessman says the best way to

  cook pizza is to leave it out in the hot sun.

• Bob from Trader Joe's told me that

  microbes are really tiny aliens.

• That guy over there said that the best way to cure Coronavirus is to lick every sidewalk.

• My smart friend says you don't need

  to wash hands before every meal.

Appeal to the People

• 78.3% of schoolchildren think that school

  is lame, but I think it's fun!

• My entire class thinks our

  teacher is lame, so therefore she is lame.

• My friends are really nice and

  trustworthy.

• Lilly thinks Thomas is a brat, but he

  is actually really nice.

Straw Man

• Rebecca: Can I go to the mall?

  Mom: I don't think it's a good idea with this Coronavirus going around.

• Random dude: LotR is awesome!

  Other random dude: You really like staying up 'til 5 a.m.

  watching a movie?

• None.

• Molly: I think our class should go to the mall as a treat!

  Lilly: You really want to spend all your money on some junk?

Circular Reasoning

• Sauron was defeated because he was evil, and he

  was evil because he was defeated.

• I like horses because they are beautiful, and

  because they are pretty.

• None.

• Circles are round.

Equivocation

• Fred: Have you looked up things going on in the present?

  Hallie: No. I thought we were researching politics, not birthdays.

• Frodo: You're a monster! Sam: What did I do? Frodo: No! You've been turned into a monster!

• Callie: Can you charge my phone please? Henry: Sure. (One hour later) Callie: What happened to my phone?! Henry: I charged it! Callie: Sigh. Brothers.

• None.