Slippery Slope

'If I have to make an exception for you, then I have to make an exception for everyone.`
This means that when a certain event will be triggered, there will be another reaction or
event that will certainly set-oII.

!oisoning the Well
'X. Dont bother talking to her. The thing is, shes a hardcore thug. She raises her voice
whatever the case may be, gets really violent and glares at you.`
'Y. Oh' Thank you for warning me. I wont get involved with her anymore.`
Poisoning the well means attacking a person`s mindset and impression to the point that he
will, instead oI questioning your basis, end up believing your words.

pple !olishing
'Hey miss' You really look fabulous in your dress. Youre shinning above the others like the
bright sun encompassing all the tiny sparks in your path. So, would you like to have some coffee
with me?`
Apple polishing means to set a positive atmosphere by Ilattering the other party
concerned in order to set up the pace to get your goal.

%he Horse Laugh
'No deeds go unrewarded? Sure, when the crows turn white'`
Horse laugh involves mocking a claim instead oI presenting evidence against it and
intends to ridicule that claim.

!eer !ressure
'All of my friends smoked and they labeled it as cool so I gave it a try before they dish me out.`
Peer pressure involves being overruled by the your peers no matter iI it`s a good thing or
not, you will be obliged to Iollow the trend so as to not be leIt behind by the times.
ppeal to Common !ractice
Yeah, I know some people say that cheating on tests is wrong. But we all know that everyone
does it, so its okay.
Appeal to Common Practice uses the Iact that most people do a certain thing as evidence
to support the action or the practice.

Hasty or Illicit Generalization
'Juan de la Cru: was studying in the Philippines up until high school. He transferred to US to
take up his Bachelors Degree in Medicine. When he arrived at the airport, he was yelled at by
an American even if he did nothing offensive to him. In his mind, he concluded that all
Americans are ferks.`
Hasty oI Illicit Generalization is closely related to 'small sample syndrome. It involves
assuming, concluding something about a population based on a sample that is not large enough.

alse lternative
'I saw her last night standing on the dark corner of Elm Street. Oh' I get it, she must be a
pimp.`
False Alternative involves having conclusion about a certain event or a person, and limits
the alternatives and possibilities oI that event without a solid basis.

alse Cause
'It is dark now, which makes it very dangerous.`
False Cause is a Iallacy committed when an argument mistakenly attempt to establish a
causal connection. It happens when a condition is mistaken Ior a cause, or giving an eIIect to a
wrong cause.
rgumentum ad verecundiam
'We should not believe in God, after all, Oprah herself is and Illuminati.`
Argumentum ad verecundiam is the Iallacy oI appealing to the testimony oI an authority
outside his special Iield. Anyone can give opinions or advice; the Iallacy only occurs when the
reason Ior assenting to the conclusion is based on improper authority.
rgumentum ad ignorantiam
'Since the class has no questions concerning the topics discussed in class, the class is ready for
a test.`
Argumentum ad ignorantiam is a Iallacy that involves treating a claim true simply due to
the reason that it has not yet been proven to be Ialse.

rgumentum ad bacalum
'You better stay away from him. After all he is the son of a thug, who knows what he will do to
you.`
Argumentum ad bacalum is a Iallacy that makes an implict or explicit threat oI physical
or psychological violence against others iI they reIuse to accept the conclusions oIIered.

rgumentum ad misericordian
'Oh OIIicer, there is no reason to arrest me Ior jaywalking. I`m rushing to the hospital to visit
my mom.
Argumentum ad misericordian is the Iallacy committed when pity or a related emotion
such as sympathy or compassion is appealed to Ior the sake oI getting a conclusion accepted.

%u Quoque
'X: You should really stop smoking man. It is bad Ior your health.
'Y: Speak Ior yourselI. I just saw you smoking the other day.
Tu QuoqueIallacy is committed when it is assumed that because someone else has done
a thing there is nothing wrong with doing it. This Iallacy is classically committed by children
who, when told oII, respond with 'So and so did it too, with the implied conclusion that there is
nothing wrong with doing whatever it is that they have done.



Circulus in !robando
'He has a very shallow sense oI humor because he makes lame jokes.
And I know he makes lame jokes because I see him laugh with it.
Circulus in Probando is the Iallacy oI using the conclusion as one oI the premises. It is a
cycle oI using both the premise and the conclusion as the basis Ior proving a claim.