Fallacies

Attacking an argument because of its source without looking at the merits of the argument.

• Genetic Fallacy

• Guilt by Association

• Hasty Generalization

• Appeal to ignorance

When a person uses evidence that is just restating their claim. This is an argument with a conclusion that appears as one of its premises. Example: X is true. The evidence for this is X.

• Strawman Argument

• Circular Reasoning

• Bias towards the middles

• False dilemma/dichotomy

when someone takes another person’s argument or point, distorts it or exaggerates it in some kind of extreme way, and then attacks the extreme distortion, as if that is really the claim the first person is making. Person 1: I think pollution from humans contributes to climate change. Person 2: So, you think humans are directly responsible for extreme weather, like hurricanes, and have caused the droughts in the southwestern U.S.? If that’s the case, maybe we just need to go to the southwest and perform a “rain dance.”

• Appeal to ignorance

• hasty generalization

• Strawman Argument

• Genetic fallacy

A researcher does a study where she finds that people who say they are on a diet are more likely than the average person to be overweight. She concludes that dieting makes people gain weight? What fallacy is she commiting?

• Strawman Argument

• False dilemma/dichotomy

• hasty generalization

• Correlation equals causation.

"Proof to me that vaccines don't cause autism." What fallacy is being used here?

• Genetic fallacy

• hasty generalization

• appeal to hypocrisy

• appeal to ignorance

If you don't support this law than you must be a crime loving anarchist.

• Guilt by association

• Circular Reasoning

• False dilemma/dichotomy

• hasty generalization

How can you criticize me? You don't want me to bring up all your mistakes do you? What fallacy is this.

• Genetic

• hasty generalization

• appeal to hypocrisy

• Strawman Argument

You shouldn't support higher taxes on rich people because you know who else supported that? Stalin!!! (Leader of the Soviet Union very much a bad guy)

• Guilt by association

• Appeal to hypocrisy

• Genetic Fallacy

• Hasty generalization