FALLACIES IN REASONING
READING AND WRITING
A critical reader scrutinizes the information
presented in the text and includes the process of
investigating before relying on and accepting an
idea or a concept. Likewise, it involves formulating
an evaluative statement about a text to recognize
its essence and to point out the possible fallacies in
the argument.
FALLACIES IN REASONING
● These are statements or arguments which
commonly contain mistakes in reasoning
as it has insufficient evidence in proving a
certain claim. It happens when someone
tends to generalize and conclude
something immediately without imparting
logical and critical thinking.
KINDS OF FALLACIES
● Dicto Simpliciter
○ These are statements or
arguments which are based on
unqualified generalizations. This
usually implies that one general
rule can be applied to all
situations, or a particular case is
applicable to everyone or to all
the people.
○ Exercise is good.
○ Drinking coffee relieves stress.
○ Women are born to be
housewives.
● Hasty Generalization
○ These are statements or
arguments which commonly
contain faulty conclusions as it
only has a few instances and
insufficient evidence to support
the overgeneralization of
something.
○ My ex-boyfriend cheated on me.
All men are cheaters.
○ Our mayor is a corrupt politician.
Politicians are corrupt.
○ He is a policeman. He is brutal.
Policemen are brutal people.
● Post Hoc
○ These are statements or
arguments which tend to relate a
natural event to a particular
person. It happens when we
conclude that an earlier event
causes a later situation.
○ Let’s not take her with us. It
always rains when she’s around.
○ I argued with Mr. Fontanilla
before I turned in my homework,
so I got a bad grade on my paper.
○ The rooster crowed then, and the
sun came up. Therefore, the
rooster made the sun come up.
● Argumentum Ad Hominem
○ These are statements or
arguments which tend to attack
someone personally instead of
focusing on the argument
presented and addressing the
issue. It also happens when we
do “name-calling.”
○ I didn’t understand our lesson
earlier. Our teacher is an idiot.
○ You will never understand my
side because you are an ugly
one.
○ She didn’t accept my apology.
She’s close-minded and stupid.
● Ad Miseracordiam
○ These are statements or
arguments which usually use
emotions or words that will appeal
to sympathy rather than a valid
and logical reason to win an
argument.
○ I am a poor one who wants to
send my children to school. You
should hire me in your company.
○ She is a working student who
perseveres to finish her studies.
She must be part of the honor list.
○ My mother is in the hospital. I
should be given a chance to be
one of your scholars.
● Poisoning the Well
○ These are statements or
arguments which associate an
event or situation to a particular
person to invalidate his argument.
It usually involves previous bad
experiences and negative cases,
which will try to negate a person’s
reliability.
○ His father was once convicted.
Don’t believe in whatever he
says.
○ Don’t listen to him. He’s a son of
politicians.
○ He cheated in our exam before.
You shouldn’t hire him.