The general beliefs that we use to categorize people, objects, and events while assuming those beliefs are accurate generalizations of the whole group.

French people are great at kissing. Julie is French. Get me a date!

This is a conclusion based on the premise that if A happens, then eventually through a series of small steps, through B, C,..., X, Y, Z will happen, too, basically equating A and Z. So, if we don't want Z to occur, A must not be allowed to occur either.

If we ban Hummers because they are bad for the environment eventually the government will ban all cars, so we should not ban Hummers.

This is a conclusion based on insufficient or biased evidence. In other words, you are rushing to a conclusion before you have all the relevant facts.

Even though it's only the first day, I can tell this is going to be a boring course.

post hoc, ergo propter hoc

This is a conclusion that assumes that if 'A' occurred after 'B' then 'B' must have caused 'A.'

post hoc, ergo propter hoc

I drank bottled water and now I am sick, so the water must have made me sick.

This is an attack on the character of a person rather than his or her opinions or arguments.

Green Peace's strategies aren't effective because they are all dirty, lazy hippies.

This is a diversionary tactic that avoids the key issues, often by avoiding opposing arguments rather than addressing them.

The level of mercury in seafood may be unsafe, but what will fishers do to support their families?

This move oversimplifies an opponent's viewpoint and then attacks that hollow argument.

People who don't support the proposed state minimum wage increase hate the poor.

a conclusion that is not aligned with previous premises or evidence. A statement that is labeled as non sequitur is one that is not logical.

The school in which my child goes to school is big. The classroom must be big.

false dichotomy (either/or)

when the arguer claims that his conclusion is one of only two options, when in fact there are other possibilities. The arguer then goes on to show that the 'only other option' is clearly outrageous, and so his preferred conclusion must be embraced

False dichotomy (either/or)

Either you let me go to the Family Values Tour, or I'll be miserable for the rest of my life. I know you don't want me to be miserable for the rest of my life, so you should let me go to the concert

A and B are shown to be similar. Then it is argued that since A has property P, so also B must have property P. An analogy fails when the two objects, A and B, are different in a way which affects whether they both have property P.

Employees are like nails. Just as nails must be hit in the head in order to make them work, so must employees.

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English Fallacies

fallacies

Term	Definition
stereotyping	The general beliefs that we use to categorize people, objects, and events while assuming those beliefs are accurate generalizations of the whole group.
stereotyping	French people are great at kissing. Julie is French. Get me a date!
slippery slope	This is a conclusion based on the premise that if A happens, then eventually through a series of small steps, through B, C,..., X, Y, Z will happen, too, basically equating A and Z. So, if we don't want Z to occur, A must not be allowed to occur either.
slippery slope	If we ban Hummers because they are bad for the environment eventually the government will ban all cars, so we should not ban Hummers.
hasty generalization	This is a conclusion based on insufficient or biased evidence. In other words, you are rushing to a conclusion before you have all the relevant facts.
hasty generalization	Even though it's only the first day, I can tell this is going to be a boring course.
post hoc, ergo propter hoc	This is a conclusion that assumes that if 'A' occurred after 'B' then 'B' must have caused 'A.'
post hoc, ergo propter hoc	I drank bottled water and now I am sick, so the water must have made me sick.
ad hominem	This is an attack on the character of a person rather than his or her opinions or arguments.
ad hominem	Green Peace's strategies aren't effective because they are all dirty, lazy hippies.
red herring	This is a diversionary tactic that avoids the key issues, often by avoiding opposing arguments rather than addressing them.
red herring	The level of mercury in seafood may be unsafe, but what will fishers do to support their families?
straw man	This move oversimplifies an opponent's viewpoint and then attacks that hollow argument.
straw man	People who don't support the proposed state minimum wage increase hate the poor.
non sequitur	a conclusion that is not aligned with previous premises or evidence. A statement that is labeled as non sequitur is one that is not logical.
non sequitur	The school in which my child goes to school is big. The classroom must be big.
false dichotomy (either/or)	when the arguer claims that his conclusion is one of only two options, when in fact there are other possibilities. The arguer then goes on to show that the 'only other option' is clearly outrageous, and so his preferred conclusion must be embraced
False dichotomy (either/or)	Either you let me go to the Family Values Tour, or I'll be miserable for the rest of my life. I know you don't want me to be miserable for the rest of my life, so you should let me go to the concert
False analogy	A and B are shown to be similar. Then it is argued that since A has property P, so also B must have property P. An analogy fails when the two objects, A and B, are different in a way which affects whether they both have property P.
False analogy	Employees are like nails. Just as nails must be hit in the head in order to make them work, so must employees.
misleading statistics

Created by: afrankenfeld

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