Lily is running for class president. In her campaign speech she says, "My opponent does not deserve to win. She is a smoker and she cheated on her boyfriend last year."

What fallacy has Lily committed?

Bill: I think capital punishment is wrong.

Adam: No it isn't. If it was wrong, it wouldn't be legal.

Of which fallacy is this an example?

Sarah wakes up one morning to find that she has just slept through her anatomy test. She emails her teacher and asks if she can make up the test. Sarah states that she deserves to take it over because she didn't sleep well because her boyfriend just broke up with her, her dog is sick and she stained her favorite dress.

What fallacy is this?

Ricky says, "There is no concrete proof that humans evolved from apes. Therefore, Darwin's Theory of Evolution cannot be true."

What fallacy has Ricky committed?

Jeff's mom is concerned when she finds out that he skipped class one day. She tells him that she is concerned that since he skipped one class, he will start skipping more frequently. Then he will drop out altogether, never graduate or get into college, and end up unemployed and living at home for the rest of his life.

What type of fallacy has Jeff's mom committed?

Dana is trying to raise money for her university's library. In her address to the board of trustees, she says, "We must raise tuition to cover the cost of new books. Otherwise the library will be forced to close."

Of what fallacy is this an example?

Debbie: I think capital punishment is a necessary component of our justice system and should remain legal.

Dylan: So you are saying that murder should be legal and it is okay for us to go around killing people just because we think they deserve it? That isn't right.

Of what fallacy is Dylan guilty?

Jeff is creating a commercial for a new energy drink. He visits a local high school and surveys students in an English class about their beverage preferences. The majority of the class says they like the grape flavor best, so Jeff tells his boss that grape is the flavor preferred most by high school students.

What error in reasoning has Jeff made?

"When you start saying things to me like I need to eat healthier or get more exercise, that says to me that you think I'm fat. I like me, and I like the way I look, and more people should have better self esteem. We have a real problem with self image in this country."

What fallacy is this?

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

A broad claim made without sufficient evidence to support it.

A distraction from the argument or an attempt to shift criticism away from one's self by accusing the other person of the same problem or something comparable.

A logical breakdown when identifying a cause of something without enough evidence to do so.

Thinking that one should continue with a task or project because of all that has been put into it, without considering the future costs likely to come by doing so.

An attempt to justify an argument by citing a not necessarily qualified figure who supports the conclusion being offered.

A word, phrase, or sentence used deliberately to confuse, deceive, or mislead by sounding like it's saying one thing but actually saying something else.

"I think we should do more to protect the environment."

"So, you think everyone should drive a hybrid car?"

"Either you love the Twilight books or you hate reading."

"You have to let me go to the dance. If I don't go to the dance, I'll be a loser with no friends. I'll end up alone and jobless living in your basement when I'm 30!"

"Eating Hot Cheetos makes you smarter. I had some for breakfast and got an A on the test."

"Why did you lie to me? You told me you were going to stop talking to your ex.""I didn't lie. I didn't talk to her. I just sent pictures and texts."