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Common Logical Fallacies

This document outlines 10 common logical fallacies: ad hominem, ad populum, appeal to authority, begging the question, false dichotomy, hasty generalization, post hoc/false cause, missing the point, spotlight fallacy, and straw man. Examples are provided for each fallacy type to illustrate how invalid reasoning can be used in arguments.

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Ma. Ellah Patricia M. Gutierrez
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182 views

Common Logical Fallacies

This document outlines 10 common logical fallacies: ad hominem, ad populum, appeal to authority, begging the question, false dichotomy, hasty generalization, post hoc/false cause, missing the point, spotlight fallacy, and straw man. Examples are provided for each fallacy type to illustrate how invalid reasoning can be used in arguments.

Uploaded by

Ma. Ellah Patricia M. Gutierrez
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Common logical fallacies.

1. Ad Hominem: This occurs when an author attacks his opponent


instead of his opponents argument.
Example: Trina thinks guns should be outlawed but Trina doesnt go to
church, so we shouldnt listen to her.

2. Ad Populum: Ad Populum attempts to prove an argument as correct


simply because many people believe it to be so.
Example: 80% of people are for the death penalty, therefore, the death
penalty is moral.

3. Appeal to Authority: In this fallacious argument, the author claims


his argument is right because someone famous or powerful supports it.
Example: We should change the drinking age because Einstein
believed that 18 was the proper drinking age.

4. Begging the Question: This happens when the authors premise and
conclusion say the same thing.
Example: Fashion magazines dont hurt womens self esteem because
womens confidence is intact after reading the magazine.

5. False Dichotomy: This fallacy rests on the assumption that there are
only two possible solutions, so disproving one solution means that
other solution should be utilized. It ignores other alternative
solutions.Example: The teacher gives too many As and therefore must
be fired because grade inflation is unfair to other students.

6. Hasty Generalization: Hasty Generalization occurs when the


proponent uses too small of a sample size to support a sweeping
generalization.
Example: Sally couldnt find any cute clothes at the boutique and
neither could Maura, so the boutique doesnt have any cute clothes.

7. Post Hoc/ False Cause: This fallacy assumes that correlation equals
causation or, in other words, if one event predicts another event it
must have also caused the event.
Example: The football team gets better grades than the baseball team,
therefore playing football makes you smarter than playing baseball.

8. Missing the Point: In Missing the Point, the premise of the argument
supports a specific conclusion but not the one the author draws.
Example: Antidepressants are overly prescribed which is dangerous, so
they should clearly be made illegal.
9. Spotlight Fallacy: This occurs when the author assumes that the
cases that receive the most publicity are the most common cases.
Example: 90% of news reports talk about negative events. Therefore, it
follows that 90% of events that occur in the real world are negative.

10. Straw Man: In this fallacy, the author puts forth one of his opponents
weaker, less central arguments forward and destroys it, while acting
like this argument is the crux of the issue.

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