LOGICAL

Name:

GUIDED
FALLACIES NOTES
Complete
this sheet as we
1 work through the
lecture together.
Generalization
An inference drawn from
6 Appeal
Ex:
Playing on readers’
to distract them from the facts
What fact does the Apple ad want
2 Faulty Causality viewers to overlook?
Incorrect assumption that one event
caused another event

does not
imply 7 Scare Tactics
Using fear to sway people by
.
possible dangers well beyond their statistical
likelihood
3 Either/Or
8 Appeal to False Authority
Unfair oversimplification of an issue by
providing only options as a possible Presenting an unqualified person or institution as
solution

“If you aren’t first, .”

(The flawed logic of Ricky Bobby.)
9 Ad Hominem
4 Slippery Slope In Latin, this means:
Exaggeration of the likely consequences of When you attack a person’s
an action, designed to show that a instead of the quality of his/her ideas
misstep
could result in a is a specific type of

in the future
ad hominem when you basically call someone a
5 hypocrite instead of debating his/her ideas
Arguments urging you to follow the same path
10 Straw Man
that everyone else is taking
This technique is commonly used to sway these Misrepresenting or twisting someone’s
two groups: argument so it’s easier to attack and
knock down
On the back of this page,
and
explain how the lobbyist
“wins” the
debate on vanilla vs. chocolate ice cream.
 LOGICAL
Name:

FALLACIES
GUIDED
NOTES KEY
Complete
this sheet as we
work through the
lecture
1 together.
Hasty Generalization
An inference drawn from
insufficient evidence 6 Sentimental Appeal
Ex: My Toyota broke down, so Playing on readers’ emotions
all Toyotas must be poorly to distract them from the facts
What fact does the Apple ad want viewers to
made.
2 Faulty Causality overlook?
Incorrect assumption that one event Most teens don’t use their phones
caused another event to make such touching creations for
Correlation does not imply their families.
causation 7 Scare Tactics
.
Using fear to sway people exaggerating
by
possible dangers well beyond their
statistical likelihood
3 Either/Or
Unfair oversimplification of an issue by 8 Appeal to False Authority
providing only two options as a Presenting an unqualified person or institution as
possible solution
a source of
“If you aren’t first, you’re last .” credible information
(The flawed logic of Ricky Bobby.)

9 Ad Hominem
4 Slippery Slope
Exaggeration of the likely consequences of In Latin, this to the man
an means:
action, designed to show that a When you attack a
person’s character
misstep
today could result in instead of the quality of his/her ideas
a in the future
Tu quoque
is a specific type
disaster
of ad hominem when you basically call
someone a
5 Bandwagon two groups:
Arguments urging you to follow the same path
that everyone else is taking
This technique is commonly used to sway these
hypocrite instead of debating his/her ideas Misrepresenting or twisting someone’s
argument so it’s easier to attack and
Straw Man 10 knock down
teens and voters On the back of this page,
explain how the lobbyist
“wins” the
debate on vanilla vs. chocolate ice cream.
Answers will vary, but students should focus on the idea of shifting the debate away from the
original point in order to sway the audience. I don’t have to be right; I just have to prove that
you’re wrong.
 Highly Illogical: Name that
Fallacy
Strong arguments are void of logical fallacies. Weak arguments are often bolstered by the common fallacies listed in
the box below. Your job is to correctly identify the fallacy being used in each of the following arguments. All of the
fallacies are used at least once, but some (obviously) will be used more than once.

1. My grandmother ate 10 cloves of raw garlic every day. Not surprisingly, she lived to be 102.
Common Fallacies
2. I guess I should buy my 12-year-old daughter an iPhone. Everyone at her new school has
one and I want her to fit in with the other kids. Hasty Generalization
Faulty Causality
3. If you don’t say the Pledge of Allegiance, then you must be a traitor.
Either/Or
Slippery Slope
4. Every time I wash my car, it rains the next day. My car washing definitely affects the weather.
Bandwagon
5. Studies show it takes up to seven years for the human body to digest a piece of gum. Sentimental Appeal
Scare Tactic
6. Charlie: I think we should put more money into schools. Quality public education is so important.
Appeal to False Authority
Bob: So you’re saying we should cut military spending and spend it instead on more
spiral notebooks and crayons? I guess you want our country to be a weak, defenseless Ad Hominem
target for terrorists. Straw Man

7. I’m raising funds to help cure XYZ disease. If you don’t donate, then you’re part of the problem.

8. Many women claim that they want to live in a peaceful world, but we must remember
that there were no nuclear weapons before women were given the right to vote.

9. My opponent raises a good point, but can we really trust him? I mean, he moved to this town only two years ago and everyone
knows that his wife left him.

10. The economy continues to grow as the number of “likes” on my Instagram account continue to increase. Clearly, the two are linked.

11. My cousin Bob works as a mechanic at Oil Changers and he says that renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power,
aren’t going to provide any help in fixing our nation’s energy crisis.

12. Oh, please. What would you know about labor laws? You don’t even have a job.

13. I know you don’t like the kitty-cat sweater that Grandma knitted for you, but she worked so hard on it and it will make her happy
to see you wear it in the family holiday photo.

14. Charlie: Fast food is filled with salt, fat, and added sugars. We need better regulation of the industry.
Bob: That may be, but you’re such a hypocrite! I saw you devour a Triple-Baconator, super-sized fries, and 64 ounces of soda yesterday.

15. If I don’t take this A.P. class, then I won’t do well on the exam. If I don’t do well on the A.P. exam, then I can’t get into a
good college. If I can’t get into a good college, then I’ll never get a good job. If I can’t get a good job, then I’m going to have to
live in my parents’ basement forever. Guess I’ll sign up for the A.P. class.

16. Global chocolate consumption is highest in Switzerland, yet people there are among the trimmest in the industrialized world.
Therefore, it’s reasonable to conclude that chocolate helps keep your weight down.

17. There is definitely a link between autism and the vaccines given to toddlers. I know this because a Wikipedia entry mentioned
numerous studies that found this to be true.

18. We think this new MallTime game app will be a success because all little girls like shopping.

19. Medical expenses for the elderly continue to rise. If you don’t buy long-term health care insurance now, you probably won’t be
able to qualify once you’re older. Sure, the insurance policy is a little expensive, but it’s worth spending the money today so you don’t
go bankrupt in the future, becoming a burden to your family.

20. Charlie: Illegal posting and sharing of songs online is crippling the music industry.

Bob: You couldn’t be more wrong; the music industry is doing just fine. I can’t believe you think the government should be
allowed to regulate what I share with my “friends.” No one wants a world where I can’t loan a book to my girlfriend, let my
roommate borrow my iPod, or share a funny meme with my blog followers.
 Highly Illogical: Name that
KEY
Fallacy
Strong arguments are void of logical fallacies. Weak arguments are often bolstered by the common fallacies listed in
the box below. Your job is to correctly identify the fallacy being used in each of the following arguments. All of the
fallacies are used at least once, but some (obviously) will be used more than once.

B 1. My grandmother ate 10 cloves of raw garlic every day. Not surprisingly, she lived to be 102.
Common Fallacies
E 2. I guess I should buy my 12-year-old daughter an iPhone. Everyone at her new school has
one and I want her to fit in with the other kids. Hasty Generalization
Faulty Causality
C 3. If you don’t say the Pledge of Allegiance, then you must be a traitor. Either/Or
Slippery Slope
B 4. Every time I wash my car, it rains the next day. My car washing definitely affects the weather.
Bandwagon
H 5. Studies show it takes up to seven years for the human body to digest a piece of gum.
Sentimental Appeal
Scare Tactic
J Appeal to False Authority
6. Charlie: I think we should put more money into schools. Quality public education is so important.
Bob: So you’re saying we should cut military spending and spend it instead on more Ad Hominem
spiral notebooks and crayons? I guess you want our country to be a weak, defenseless Straw Man
target for terrorists.

C 7. I’m raising funds to help cure XYZ disease. If you don’t donate, then you’re part of the problem.

B 8. Many women claim that they want to live in a peaceful world, but we must remember
that there were no nuclear weapons before women were given the right to vote.

I 9. My opponent raises a good point, but can we really trust him? I mean, he moved to this town only two years ago and everyone
knows that his wife left him.

B 10. The economy continues to grow as the number of “likes” on my Instagram account continue to increase. Clearly, the two are linked.

H 11. My cousin Bob works as a mechanic at Oil Changers and he says that renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power,
aren’t going to provide any help in fixing our nation’s energy crisis.

I 12. Oh, please. What would you know about labor laws? You don’t even have a job.

F 13. I know you don’t like the kitty-cat sweater that Grandma knitted for you, but she worked so hard on it and it will make her happy
to see you wear it in the family holiday photo.
(Specifically, a tu quoque)
I 14. Charlie: Fast food is filled with salt, fat, and added sugars. We need better regulation of the industry.
Bob: That may be, but you’re such a hypocrite! I saw you devour a Triple-Baconator, super-sized fries, and 64 ounces of soda yesterday.

D 15. If I don’t take this A.P. class, then I won’t do well on the exam. If I don’t do well on the A.P. exam, then I can’t get into a
good college. If I can’t get into a good college, then I’ll never get a good job. If I can’t get a good job, then I’m going to have to
live in my parents’ basement forever. Guess I’ll sign up for the A.P. class.

B 16. Global chocolate consumption is highest in Switzerland, yet people there are among the trimmest in the industrialized world. Therefore,
it’s reasonable to conclude that chocolate helps keep your weight down.

H 17. There is definitely a link between autism and the vaccines given to toddlers. I know this because a Wikipedia entry mentioned
numerous studies that found this to be true.

A 18. We think this new MallTime game app will be a success because all little girls like shopping.

G 19. Medical expenses for the elderly continue to rise. If you don’t buy long-term health care insurance now, you probably won’t be
able to qualify once you’re older. Sure, the insurance policy is a little expensive, but it’s worth spending the money today so you don’t
go bankrupt in the future, becoming a burden to your family.
Bob: You couldn’t be more wrong; the music industry is doing just fine. I can’t believe you think the government should be
allowed to regulate what I share with my “friends.” No one wants a world where I can’t loan a book to my girlfriend, let my
roommate borrow my iPod, or share a funny meme with my blog followers.
J 20. Charlie: Illegal posting and sharing of songs online is crippling the music industry.

Bob: You couldn’t be more wrong; the music industry is doing just fine. I can’t believe you think the government should be
allowed to regulate what I share with my “friends.” No one wants a world where I can’t loan a book to my girlfriend, let my
roommate borrow my iPod, or share a funny meme with my blog followers.