Logical Fallacies: A List of Terms
by A list of common logical fallacies, along with explanations/definitions.
Non Sequitur- a comment which, due to its apparent lack of meaning relative to what it follows, seems absurd to the point of being humorous or confusing
Oversimplification- To simplify to the point of causing misrepresentation, misconception, or error
Hasty generalization- a logical fallacy of faulty generalization by reaching an inductive generalization based on insufficient evidence. It commonly involves basing a broad conclusion upon the statistics of a survey of a small group that fails to sufficiently represent the whole population.
False analogy- In an analogy, two systems are shown to have common sub-functions and/or properties and therefore additional corresponding sub-functions and/or properties are proposed and shown to exist. This is repeated for all sub-functions until the analogy ultimately fails. A false analogy has few or no similar sub-functions.
Begging the question- a logical fallacy in which the proposition to be proved is assumed implicitly or explicitly in the premise. Begging the question is related to circular argument.
Post Hoc, ergo proper hoc- Latin for “after this, therefore because (on account) of this”, is a logical fallacy (of the questionable cause variety) which states, “Since that event followed this one, that event must have been caused by this one.”
Ad Hominem argument- an argument which links the validity of a premise to an irrelevant characteristic or belief of the person advocating the premise
False dichotomy- you are presented with two choices, when in fact there are more than two choices. If one choice is discredited, then the reader is forced to accept the other choice. But this is not an adequate argument, the choice favored must be supported by evidence.
Argument based on doubtful or unidentifiable authority- committed when the person in question is not a legitimate authority on the subject. More formally, if person A is not qualified to make reliable claims in subject S, then the argument will be fallacious.
Straw man- an informal fallacy based on misrepresentation of an opponent’s position. To “attack a straw man” is to create the illusion of having refuted a proposition by substituting a superficially similar proposition (the “straw man”), and refuting it, without ever having actually refuted the original position.
Ad populum- a fallacious argument that concludes a proposition to be true because many or all people believe it
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