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DLA FALLACIES-1 (Eric Kim)

This document defines and provides examples of common logical fallacies. Logical fallacies are errors in reasoning that undermine the strength of an argument. The document lists and explains 10 common fallacies: ad hominem, association, argument from ignorance, bandwagon, false dichotomy, false analogy, red herring, appeal to authority, slippery slope, and non-sequitur. For each, it provides an example and explanation and asks the reader to generate their own original example. Understanding logical fallacies is important for evaluating arguments and avoiding weak reasoning.

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Eric Kim
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136 views7 pages

DLA FALLACIES-1 (Eric Kim)

This document defines and provides examples of common logical fallacies. Logical fallacies are errors in reasoning that undermine the strength of an argument. The document lists and explains 10 common fallacies: ad hominem, association, argument from ignorance, bandwagon, false dichotomy, false analogy, red herring, appeal to authority, slippery slope, and non-sequitur. For each, it provides an example and explanation and asks the reader to generate their own original example. Understanding logical fallacies is important for evaluating arguments and avoiding weak reasoning.

Uploaded by

Eric Kim
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Directed Learning Activity: What Are Logical Fallacies?

Logical fallacies are errors in reasoning that undermine the logic of an


argument. In any discourse where you are trying to support a statement
with logic and evidence, avoiding these pitfalls is important as they will
undermine the strength of your argument and damage your Ethos, or
credibility, as a writer.

Here is an example of a VALID argument where valid premises support the


conclusion (in the form of what is called a syllogism):

Premise 1: Whichever team scores the most points wins the game.
Premise 2: The Red team scored more points than the Blue team.
Conclusion: Therefore, the Red team wins the game.
(We cannot argue with that conclusion as long as the premises are true.)

Faulty arguments occur when either of the premises is incorrect. In the


example above, not all games are won that way. If you were playing Uno,
the winner of the game would be the one who scored the fewest points
overall. For premise 2, there could be a scoring error, or the person making
the argument could be flat-out lying. In both of these cases, the argument
becomes fallacious (logically unsound).

Faulty arguments can also occur when the conclusion does not follow the
premises:

Premise 1: Cats are very good pets.


Premise 2: Penny is a good pet.
Conclusion: Therefore, Penny is a cat.
(In this case, the conclusion is where the faulty logic lies.)
Practice:
For each of the fallacies below, read the example and then create an
example of your own. Try to think of an original example or one you have
personally heard or seen, rather than using the internet. If you do use the
internet for your examples, you must copy and paste your source beneath
the example in order to avoid plagiarism.

1. Ad Hominem - This translates as "to the man" and refers to


any attacks on the person advancing the argument, rather on the validity
of the argument or the evidence. An ad hominem attack distracts from
the issue by attacking someone personally.

Example: My opponent suggests that lowering taxes will be a good idea --


this is coming from a woman who eats a pint of Ben and Jerry’s each night!

Explanation: The fact that someone loves ice cream has nothing to do


with the lowering of taxes, and therefore, is irrelevant to the argument. Ad
hominem attacks are usually made out of desperation when one cannot
find a decent counter argument.

Your Example:  My brother asserts that we should buy a Gaming


computer, however he is way too dumb to realize we pay for the
expensive electricity bills!
 
 
2. Association (Guilt by) Fallacy - This occurs when a
source is viewed negatively because of her association with another
group that is viewed negatively.

EX: Delores is a big supporter of equal pay for equal work. This is the
same policy that all those extreme feminist groups support. Extremists like
Delores should not be taken seriously -- at least politically.
Explanation: Making the assumption that Delores is an extreme feminist
simply because she supports a policy that virtually every man and woman
also supports, is fallacious.

Your example: John prefers pie better than cake for their feast.
However, John likes to hang out with Thomas who despises pie he
describes the taste as “a moldy red parasite.” Because of John’s
relationship with Thomas who is crazier than a feral wild dog, John
should not be trusted.
 
 
3. Argument from Ignorance - This occurs when an idea
that has not been proven false must likely be true. Sometimes, the idea
may be beyond the realm of truth, as in the case of many religious
arguments. This type of argument will often ask the person to "prove a
negative" which can be difficult to do.

EX: Since we haven't been able to prove that the moon is not inhabited
by little green moon-monsters, then it must be true that they exist there.

Explanation: Lacking proof that something is not true does not


automatically make it true.

Your example: Because there is no proof of slime that moves itself


not existing anywhere, that means it must exist lurking somewhere.
 
 
4. BandWagon - The fallacy that popular ideas are necessarily
right because they’re popular rather than because of evidence.

EX: (1935) Most people don't believe that black people should be
allowed to vote, therefore it must be the right decision.

Explanation: Equal rights was not a concept that existed back then, but
that did not mean it was beneficial for people or society. It was also
unconstitutional since it directly opposed the concept that “all men are
created equal.”

Your example: Almost everyone prefers to live in two-story house for


saving up space for furniture, therefore it would be a formidable choice
for a living.
 
 
5. False Dichotomy - This fallacy relies on the argument of a
person to suggest there are only two choices. Often there are other
options not included in the statement. This is also known as a False
Dilemma or the Either/Or fallacy.

EX: I thought you were a good person, but you weren’t at church today.

Explanation: The assumption here is that if one doesn't attend church,


one must be bad.  Of course, good people exist who don’t go to church,
and good church-going people could have had a really good reason not to
be in church that day.

Your example: Either you finish up your homework, or you are not a good
part of our family.
 
6. False Analogy - Drawing comparisons between things that
aren’t really alike to prove or disprove a claim. A lso known as a weak
analogy or a false comparison.

EX: Discriminating against smokers is the same as discriminating


against people of color. Discrimination is discrimination.

Explanation: One chooses to smoke; one does not choose skin color.
Also, smoking hurts those around us, whereas skin color does not.

Your example: Using an iphone is the same as using a nokia phone.


They both are the same phones to call each other.
 
7. Red Herring - In this case, the arguer goes off in a different
direction that distracts the argument from the original point. Redirecting
the argument to another issue as a deliberate diversion from the topic at
hand.

EX: Clara states that everyone knows that vaccines cause autism, when
Missy disagrees and states that doctors have since debunked that myth,
Clara brings up a case where doctors were wrong about the cause of
malaria, successfully changing the direction of the argument and proving
nothing.

Explanation: Just because there have been things doctors were wrong
about before enough evidence was collected does not invalidate the
original claim about the vaccine myth being debunked.

Your example: Jared thinks that Nintendo switch is an outstanding


console. He then explains the functionality of the game console
then starts talking about Wii U concepts.
 
 
8. Appeal to Authority - This is where someone seen as an
authority is quoted or used to support the argument when the person
may not actually be an expert. This also can apply to other types of
"appeals" such as celebrity or the common folk, or even an anonymous
source. Also known as false authority. Be very careful not to confuse
"deferring to an authority on the issue" with the appeal to authority
fallacy. Remember, a fallacy is an error in reasoning. Dismissing the
council of legitimate experts and authorities turns good skepticism into
denialism.

EX: My 6th grade teacher told me that blood is blue and it turns red
when it hits the air, so blood must be blue because she was really smart.

Explanation: She may very well have been smart, but to prove the claim
that blood is blue until it hits the air, the writer would need to find
scientific evidence, which of course doesn’t exist.
Your example: Because Tom Holland said that phones can actually hold
each other, it must be true because he is successful.
 
 
9. Slippery Slope - This occurs when a person proposes that
one change will inevitably lead to other undesirable and even
catastrophic consequences, like a snowball effect.

EX: If students do not have a dress code then they will wear outrageous
things, and some might come to school naked.

Explanation: Like all slippery slopes, predicting the future without


evidence can lead to implausible and even silly conclusions. It is highly
unlikely that any student would want to come to school naked, and not
having a dress code does not mean that clothing then becomes optional.

Your example: If a manager didn’t publish work hours, barely anyone


would come work here for their payout, and the business would’ve
immediately collapsed.
 
10. The Non-Sequitur - This translates to “it does not follow” -
when the conclusion does not follow from the premises. In more informal
reasoning, it can be when what is presented as evidence or reason is
irrelevant or adds very little support to the conclusion.

EX: The owner of Bill’s Burgers won a Best Burger in Town contest last
year, so he would make a fantastic mayor.

Explanation: It does not follow that just because Bill is good at making
burgers and running a restaurant, he would be good at running a whole
city.

Your example: The company has been nominated a Best architect


companies of the month last 3 weeks, so they would make a good
company for the US Military.
 

Sources:
https://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/logical-fallacies.html
https://www.logicallyfallacious.com

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