Logical Fallacies

Every upstanding American enjoys baseball and loves eating pretzels while they watch the game.

This statement is an example of

• a bandwagon effect

• testimonial

• slippery slope

• loaded words

Which logical fallacy involves misrepresenting the other viewpoint by taking a small piece of an argument, and distorting (twisting) the words around to fit your position?

Ex.) Person A: "Harsh prison sentences are causing more problems than they’re solving."

Person B: "So what you’re saying is we should just let all the criminals go free!"

• Ad populum/bandwagon

• Overgeneralization

• Slippery slope

• Strawman

Which fallacy involves making a big general statement or conclusion, based on a small amount of evidence.

"I visited a new city, but the first person I met was really rude to me. Thus, everyone from that city is rude."

• Overgeneralization

• False analogy

• Ad hominem (personal attack)

• Slippery slope

Which fallacy involves making the conclusion that if this happens, then it will lead to a chain of events going downhill to a very unlikely and usually bad outcome?

"If you don’t do your homework, you won’t get good grades, and you won’t get into a good college, so you won’t get a good job and your life will be ruined!

• Ad hominem

• Overgeneralization

• Slippery slope

• Strawman

Which fallacy involves attacking/criticizing the person, instead of addressing the issue?

"My doctor says I need to lose weight, but have you seen how overweight she is?"

• Bandwagon

• Overgeneralization

• Either/or or false dichotomy

• Ad hominem

Which fallacy appeals to the popular idea or concept as the correct course of action?

"Everybody in our family goes to Georgetown for undergrad, so it only makes sense that you do, too."

• Overgeneralization

• False analogy

• Bandwagon

• Circular reasoning

If you allow one student to take an online course, soon

everyone will want to, and the schools will be empty.

• Slippery Slope

• Band Wagon

• Ambiguity

• Insufficient Evidence

Only a selfish, non-caring person would believe that this is ok.

• Ad Hominem

• Band Wagon

• Appeals to emotion

• Slippery Slope

Everyone seems to support the changes in the vacation policy, and if everyone likes them, they must be

good.

• Slippery Slope

• Band Wagon

• Misplaced Cause and Effect

• Ambiguity

“Your coach’s policy is that no one can be a starter on game day if they miss practice. So, if you miss basketball practice today, you won’t be a starter in Friday’s game. Then you won’t be the first freshman to start on the Varsity basketball team at our school.”

• Band Wagon

• Slippery Slope

• Hasty Generalization

• Ad Hominem