Logical Fallacies You Should Know

A faulty line of reasoning that fails by limiting the options to two when there are in fact more options from which to choose.

• Red Herring

• Causal Fallacy

• Bandwagon Fallacy

• False Dilemma / Black-and-White

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.1

CCSS.RL.6.1

CCSS.RI.6.8

CCSS.RL.7.1

CCSS.RI.7.8

A presumptuous argument where it only appears to be an argument, when really one is just restating one's assumptions in a way that looks like an argument without arriving at any new conclusion.

• Fallacy of Sunk Costs

• Ad Hominem

• Circular Argument

• Straw Man

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.6.8

CCSS.RI.7.1

CCSS.RI.7.8

A distraction from the argument that seems to be relevant, but isn't really on-topic. This tactic is common when someone doesn't like the current topic and wants to detour into something else instead, something easier or safer to address.

• Slippery Slope

• Red Herring

• Tu Quoque / Appeal to Hypocrisy

• Hasty Generalization

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RL.6.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RI.7.8

CCSS.RL.8.1

A fallacy of relevance that appeals to the compassion and emotional sensitivity of others, when these factors are not strictly relevant to the argument.

• Ad Hominem

• Appeal to Pity

• Appeal to Authority

• Bandwagon Fallacy

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.8

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RI.7.8

CCSS.RI.6.5

CCSS.RI.8.5

Faulty logic that assumes something is true (or right, or good) because other people agree with it.

• Hasty Generalization

• Appeal to Ignorance

• Straw Man

• Bandwagon Fallacy

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RL.7.1

CCSS.RI.7.8

CCSS.RL.8.1

A fallacy of relevance where someone rejects or criticizes another person's view on the basis of something personal and irrelevant to the argument at issue.

• Straw Man

• Ad Hominem

• Appeal to Authority

• Slippery Slope

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.1

CCSS.RL.6.1

CCSS.RI.6.8

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.7.1

Stating an opponent's argument in an extreme or exaggerated form, or attacking a weaker, irrelevant portion of an opponent's argument.

• Straw Man

• Appeal to Pity

• Slippery Slope

• Causal Fallacy

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.7.1

CCSS.RI.7.1

Attempt to use an opponent's inability to disprove a conclusion as proof of the validity of the conclusion.

• Appeal to Authority

• Red Herring

• Appeal to Ignorance

• Slippery Slope

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RL.6.1

CCSS.RI.6.8

CCSS.RI.7.1

A fallacy that works by moving from a seemingly harmless premise or starting point and working through a number of small steps to an improbable extreme.

• Slippery Slope

• Straw Man

• Equivocation

• Fallacy of Sunk Costs

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RL.6.1

CCSS.RI.7.8

CCSS.RL.8.1

A broad claim made without sufficient evidence to support it.

• Appeal to Ignorance

• Hasty Generalization

• Red Herring

• Slippery Slope

Tags

CCSS.RL.6.1

CCSS.RI.6.8

CCSS.RL.7.1

CCSS.RI.7.1

CCSS.RL.8.1