The Ultimate Informal Fallacy List: 20 Types You Should Avoid
Fallacies are errors in reasoning that can lead to incorrect conclusions and false arguments. They are often used in politics, advertising, and even everyday conversations. Informal fallacies, in particular, are those that occur in informal language and are often used to persuade or manipulate. In this article, we’ve compiled the ultimate informal fallacy list of 20 types you should avoid.
1. Ad hominem: Attacking the person instead of the argument.
Example: Lisa can’t be trusted because she was caught lying before.
2. Appeal to force: Using threats or intimidation to convince someone of a certain point.
Example: If you don’t vote for me, I’ll make sure you lose your job.
3. Appeal to pity: Using emotions to manipulate someone into agreeing with you.
Example: Please give me an A on the project, my grandmother passed away last week.
4. Argument from ignorance: Assuming something is true simply because it hasn’t been proven false (or vice versa).
Example: There is no proof that ghosts don’t exist, therefore they must be real.
5. Bandwagon fallacy: Believing that something is true simply because a lot of other people believe it.
Example: Everyone is using this new app, so it must be good.
6. Black and white fallacy: Only seeing two options, and disregarding any middle ground or other possibilities.
Example: You’re either with us or against us.
7. False cause: Assuming that because two things happen, one must have caused the other.
Example: I wore my lucky socks and aced my test, therefore the socks helped me pass.
8. False dilemma: Presenting only two options when there are more.
Example: You can either study all night or fail the exam.
9. Hasty generalization: Making a conclusion about a whole group based on limited or insufficient evidence.
Example: All dogs are mean because I got bitten once by one.
10. Loaded question: Asking a question that has an assumption built into it.
Example: Have you stopped cheating on your tests?
11. Moral equivalence: Suggesting two things are equal when they are not.
Example: Shoplifting is the same as robbing a bank.
12. Oversimplification: Reducing a complex issue to a simple statement.
Example: All crime could be eliminated if we just locked up every criminal.
13. Slippery slope: Claiming that one action will result in a chain of negative events.
Example: If we allow gay marriage, soon people will start marrying animals.
14. Strawman: Misrepresenting someone else’s argument to make your own argument easier to attack.
Example: You think we should reduce military spending? You must hate our country and our troops.
15. False authority: Trusting someone simply because they are in a position of power or have a certain title.
Example: Donald Trump says climate change isn’t real, so it must not be.
16. False dichotomy: Presenting two options as the only possibilities when more exist.
Example: You can either support abortion or be against women’s rights.
17. Tu quoque: Defending yourself or your behavior by pointing out the other person’s bad behavior.
Example: You’re lecturing me about smoking when you’re a heavy drinker?
18. Red herring: Bringing up an unrelated topic to avoid talking about the main point.
Example: I know I did something wrong, but what about all the times you messed up?
19. Begging the question: Assuming the premise you’re trying to prove is already true.
Example: Of course God exists, just look around at the beauty of the world.
20. Post hoc: Assuming that because one thing happened after another, it must have been caused by the first thing.
Example: I ate broccoli and then I got sick, so obviously the broccoli made me ill.
Fallacies can be tricky to spot, but being aware of them can help you avoid using them and make you a more effective and honest communicator. By keeping this ultimate informal fallacy list handy, you can ensure that your arguments are based on sound reasoning and solid evidence.
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