Adorable Fallacies/Fallacy Detective

What is an Ad Hominem

• a fallacy of distraction that assumes an opponent's position is wrong by focusing the argument on how the opponent personally came to believe that position

• a fallacy of distraction that attacks an opponent's character when character is irrelevant to the argument

• a fallacy of distraction that appeals to an irrelevant authority as justification for a conclusion

• a fallacy of distraction that equates positive characteristics

Answer explanation

Common Names: Poisoning the Well, Pit Spitting

What is a Tu Quoque?

• a fallacy of distraction that rejects or accepts an argument solely because of the moral character of another, previous arguer

• A fallacy of distraction that inappropriately attempts to persuade using a threat

• a fallacy of distraction that argues for an exception to an accepted principle or standard without offering a justification

• A fallacy of distraction that attempts to discredit an opponent's conclusion by irrelevantly appealing to supposed hypocrisy between argument and action

Answer explanation

Common Names: Appeal to Hypocrisy, TQ

Read the following example: Decide if it is a Ad Hominem or not

"You're wrong: Fi$tPump the Obscene Rapper is one of the greats.

You're just a smarmy goody-two-shoes."

• Ad Hominem

• Not an Ad Hominem

Answer explanation

Does a smarmy goody-two-shoes have ANYTHING to do with Fi$tPump the Obscene Rapper being great??

Probably Not

Read the following example: Decide if the following is a tu quoque

Mom:"Don't throw your pizza at your brother!"

You:"But you tossed it around multiple time before you baked it!"

• Not a Tu quoque

• Tu Quoque

What is the Transfer Fallacy?

• a fallacy of distraction that equates positive characteristics of a spokesman with their conclusion

• a fallacy for distraction that appeals to an irrelevant authority as justification for a conclusion

• a fallacy of distraction that addresses a tangentially related point that is not the point under discussion

• a fallacy of distraction that attempts to show the truth of a proposition by means of the sheer number of people who already have accepted it

Answer explanation

Common Names: Honor by Association, Preenering

What is an Ipse Dixit?

• a fallacy of distraction that assumes an opponent's position is wrong by focusing the argument on how the opponent personally came to believe that position

• a fallacy of distraction that misrepresents or hyperbolizes an opponent's position to make it much easier to defeat

• a fallacy of distraction that appeals to an irreverent authority as justification for a conclusion

• a fallacy of distraction that irrelevently critiques an idea for failing to do something it never was intended to do

Answer explanation

Common Names: Irrelevent Authority

Read the following example: Decide if the next is a transfer fallacy.

“John is a fantastic basketball player. He’s swift, has a great shooting percentage, and understands the game better than anyone on his team. Therefore, John must also be an excellent baseball player.”

• Not a Transfer Fallacy

• Transfer Fallacy

Answer explanation

This argument seems to commit the transfer fallacy because it assumes that skills in one area (basketball) will automatically transfer to another area (baseball). However, it’s not necessarily a transfer fallacy because being athletic and understanding sports strategy could potentially help John in baseball.

Read the following example: Decide if it is an Ipse Dixit.

"Adam wasn't the first humanoid. My professor explained how we evolved from apes."

• Ipse Dixit

• Not an Ipse Dixit

What is a Red Herring

• a fallacy of distraction that accepts or rejects an idea solely based on its age

• a fallacy of distraction that denies a conclusion solely based on personal belief

• any fallacy of distraction that ultimately leads away from the truth of the matter

Answer explanation

Common Name: Distraction by Reek

What is Bulverism?

• a fallacy of distraction that assumes an opponent's position is wrong by focusing the argument on how the opponent personally came to believe that position

• a fallacy of distraction that argues for an exception to an accepted principle or standard without offering a justification

• a fallacy of distraction that misrepresents or hyperbolizes an opponent's position to make it much easier to defeat

• a fallacy of distraction that equates positive characteristics of a spokesman with their conclusion

Answer explanation

Common Name: The Becausery