Term
| Ad Hominem (against the man) |
|
Definition
| an attack against a person rather than against the accuracy or reasonableness of what he or she is saying |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a reference to an "authority," but with at least one of the following problems: (1) the question is not one hwere an authority's opinion is relevant (e.g. choice of soft drink),(2) the person cited is not an expert on the subject, (3) the person is an expert, but biased. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| "Tug on the hearstrings" by appealing to a tender emotion. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| This really isn't fallacy because it abandons reason and threatens use of force or power instead. It is usually an attempt to get someone to act in a certain way rather than to change his or her beliefs. |
|
|
Term
| False Dichotomy (either-or) |
|
Definition
| Suggestin that there are only two choices when actually the situation is more complex and there are probably more choices |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| assuming that there is a statistical probability that something will happen just because it has not happened recently |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Drawing a conclusion based on insufficient evidence |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| This argument defends a position simply by refusing to acknowledge the force of the arguments used against it. In effect, the arguments say, "If your arguments are sound, then my position is false, but my position isn't false, so your arguments can't be sound." This is a fallacy of cicularity because it assumes what is in question, namely the truth of the position being defended. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Argues that one should think or act in a certain way because many others are doing so. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| What appears to be a support for a proposition is really just a restatement of the proposition. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Comparing two things that are not really very similar at all |
|
|
Term
| Non-sequitur (it doesn't follow) |
|
Definition
| Even if you accept the first or second premise of this chain of reasoning, the conclusion does not automatically follow **This fallacy is realted to post hoc ergo propter hoc. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| This is a kind of ad hominem attack in which the negative information is provided before the person makes a statement or claim. |
|
|
Term
| Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc (After that, therefore because of that) |
|
Definition
| The claim that because even B happened after event A, it was caused by event A. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Distracting the listener/reader by throwing up an irrelevant point instead of responding to one where, presumably, you don't have a good answer. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Arguing that rules that apply in one case should not apply in another, very similar case. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| In order to avoid trying to refute a strong argument against you/your case, you throw up a weaker, usually less relevant argument and demolish that one instead. |
|
|
Term
| Thin Edge (Slippery slope) |
|
Definition
| If one step is taken in a certain direction, it will inevitably lead to other steps. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Rejection of a person's argument because he himself has a same characteristic or problem |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A person justifies his/her own mind doing something wrong because some other wrong because some other wrong was (or might be) done. Even if this other wrong really is a wrong, it's irrelevant as a justification. |
|
|
