1. Argumentum ad Hominem
When you reject an argument by attacking the person who offered the argumenteither in
pointing out a character flaw or evil intentions to destroy his credibility, you commit the ad
hominem fallacy. The argument must stand or fall on its own merit, who composed it is
irrelevant.1
Real-life examples:
a. My mother has once asked to me, Why are you going to take an Education major
when you love playing computer games?
b. When some people said, UP students are not smart students because instead of
going to library I see them just walking around
Internet example:
a. How can you argue your case for vegetarianism when you are enjoying your
steak?2
2. Argumentum ad Baculum
Argument that appeals to the use of force, uses a threat, intimidation and strong-arm tactics to
reject your argument.3
Real-life examples:
a. My friend said that I will be responsible for her suicide if ever I leave her.
b. My mother has suggested to forget her and my family whenever I seek help from
others.
Internet examples:
a. Melvin: Boss, why do I have to work weekends when nobody else in the company
does?
Boss: Am I sensing insubordination? I can find another employee very quickly,
thanks to Craigslist, you know.4
3. Argumentum ad Misericordiam
An argument that appeals to pity.5
Real-life examples:
a. When my mother asked, Do you really planned to go to Manila to study? Your
siblings will be experiencing melancholy due to your physical absence; wont you
get pity on them?
1
Andresito E. Acua, Philosophical Analysis Seventh Edition, (University of the Philippines Diliman: UP Department
of Philosophy, 2006) p. 173
2
Literary Devices, < http://literarydevices.net/ad-hominem/>
3
Andresito E. Acua, Philosophical Analysis Seventh Edition, (University of the Philippines Diliman: UP Department
of Philosophy, 2006) p. 173
4
Logically Fallacious, <https://www.logicallyfallacious.com/tools/lp/Bo/LogicalFallacies/34/Appeal_to_Force>,
Archieboy Holdings, LLC, 2016
5
Andresito E. Acua, Philosophical Analysis Seventh Edition, (University of the Philippines Diliman: UP Department
of Philosophy, 2006) p. 173
b. When I badly wanted to take revenge to my uncle for his sins on me but I took pity
for the future of his kids if I do because he is their foundation.
Internet examples:
a. Georgia Banker Bert Lance should be excused from conflict of interest divestiture
problems, former President Jimmy Carter asserted, because Lance's promise to sell
his stock so that he can serve his government has depressed its market value. 6
4. Argumentum ad Ignorantiam
An argument from ignorance.7
Real-life examples:
a. I concluded that ghosts never exist for I havent ever saw, smelt, or heard one.
b. Since our class in one subject has no question then the exam should start.
Internet example:
a. Biology professor to skittish students in lab: There is no evidence that frogs actually
feel pain; it is true they exhibit pain behavior, but as they have no consciousness,
they feel no pain.8
5. Argumentum ad Populum
An argument that appeals to popularity and traditional institution.9
Real-life examples:
a. I overheard of many of the UP students are so stupid that they do not even know
how to follow simple instructions.
b. My uncle has once said You belong to the bloodline Sanchez and the blood that
flows through your veins has the potential to lift yourself up from status of poverty.
Internet example:
a. Since 88% of the people polled believed in UFOs, they must exist.10
6. Argumentum ad Vericundiam
An argument that appeals to authority.11
Real-life examples:
a. My intelligent classmate once told me that I can speak English fluently if I study well
in Math. Therefore if I want to speak English fluently I should study well in
Mathematics.
6
Introduction to logic, < http://philosophy.lander.edu/logic/misery.html >, 2002-9, Licensed under GFDL
7
Andresito E. Acua, Philosophical Analysis Seventh Edition, (University of the Philippines Diliman: UP Department
of Philosophy, 2006) p. 174
8
Introduction to logic, < http://philosophy.lander.edu/logic/misery.html >, 2002-9, Licensed under GFDL
9
Andresito E. Acua, Philosophical Analysis Seventh Edition, (University of the Philippines Diliman: UP Department
of Philosophy, 2006) p. 174
10
Common Sense Atheism, < http://commonsenseatheism.com/?p=3111 >, Creative Commons Attribution-
Noncommercial
11
Andresito E. Acua, Philosophical Analysis Seventh Edition, (University of the Philippines Diliman: UP Department
of Philosophy, 2006) p. 174
b. When a kid once gave an advice on how to love a girl.
Internet example:
a. My 5th grade teacher once told me that girls will go crazy for boys if they learn how
to dance. Therefore, if you want to make the ladies go crazy for you, learn to
dance.12
7. Strawman Fallacy
The fallacy is committed when you deliberately misrepresent an argument to weaken it you
created a strawman and passes it as the genuine argument.13
Real-life examples:
a. When I decided to shift to Education major but my mother has made the current
status and position of my past teachers back in high school.
b. I always wanted to eat lechong baboy because its delicious but my friend has
recommended me not to eat too much because cholesterol is not delicious.
Internet example:
a. After Will said that we should put more money into health and education, Warren
responded by saying that he was surprised that Will hates our country so much that
he wants to leave it defenseless by cutting military spending. 14
Real-life examples:
a. Shiela: Why am I ugly?
Me: What is beauty?
Shiela: It is what most people see that you yourself dont see but sometimes it is
what you most see that other people dont see. Beauty is but a matter of
perspective.
Me: Who the hell thought of this?
b. I once said, Evolution is not a good explanation of human life because I am pretty
offended when I came from a monkey.
Internet example:
12
Logically Fallacious, < https://www.logicallyfallacious.com/tools/lp/Bo/LogicalFallacies/21/Appeal-to-Authority
>, 2016, Archieboy Holdings, LLC
13
Andresito E. Acua, Philosophical Analysis Seventh Edition, (University of the Philippines Diliman: UP Department
of Philosophy, 2006) p. 175
14
Your Logical Fallacy is, < https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/strawman >, Jesse Richardson, Andy Smith, Som
Meaden, and Flip Creative, creative commons attribution and noncommercial license 2016.
15
Logically Fallacious, < https://www.logicallyfallacious.com/tools/lp/Bo/LogicalFallacies/150/Red_Herring >,
2016, Archieboy Holdings, LLC
a. Mike: It is morally wrong to cheat on your spouse, why on earth would you have
done that?
Ken: But what is morality exactly?
Mike: Its a code of conduct shared by cultures.
Ken: But who creates this code? 16
9. False Analogy
This fallacy consists in assuming that because two things are alike in one or more respects,
they are necessarily alike in some other respect.17
Real-life examples:
a. When my friend has once told me, You are like a food. A food can satisfy my
hunger, literally and figuratively, and so you are.
b. My mothers statement when I was younger, You are like a tapeworm. A tapeworm
must be dependent and brings harm, and so you are.
Internet example:
a. Employees are like nails. Just as nails must be hit in the head in order to make them
work, so must employees.
(www.txstate.edu/philosophy/resources/fallacy-definitions/Faulty-Analogy.html)
16
Logically Fallacious, < https://www.logicallyfallacious.com/tools/lp/Bo/LogicalFallacies/150/Red_Herring >,
2016, Archieboy Holdings, LLC
17
Faulty Analogy : : Texas State University
http://www.txstate.edu/philosophy/resources/fallacy-definitions/Faulty-Analogy.html
a. My statement when my mother has finally agreed me to shift to another course,
How many times should I hurt myself physically?
b. My friend asked me, How questions should I ask you before I know that youre
really fine?
Internet example:
a. How many times per day do you beat your wife?18
Real-life examples:
a. My statement to my ex-girlfriend, its either you are numb or you do not love me, it
seems to me that you do not love me. Therefore, you are numb!
b. Be my friend or be my enemy.
Internet example:
a. I thought you were a good person, but you werent at church today.22
18
Logically Fallacious,
<https://www.logicallyfallacious.com/tools/lp/Bo/LogicalFallacies/69/Complex_Question_Fallacy >, 2016,
Archieboy Holdings, LLC
19
Andresito E. Acua, Philosophical Analysis Seventh Edition, (University of the Philippines Diliman: UP Department
of Philosophy, 2006) p. 175
20
Introduction to Logic, < http://philosophy.lander.edu/logic/circular.html>, 2002-9, Licensed under GFDL
21
Logically Fallacious, < https://www.logicallyfallacious.com/tools/lp/Bo/LogicalFallacies/94/False_Dilemma >,
2016, Archieboy Holdings, LLC
22
Logically Fallacious, < https://www.logicallyfallacious.com/tools/lp/Bo/LogicalFallacies/94/False_Dilemma >,
2016, Archieboy Holdings, LLC
When the conclusion does not follow from the premises. In more informal reasoning, it can be
when what is presented as evidence or reason is irrelevant or adds very little support to the
conclusion.23
Real-life examples:
a. My friends statement, Manny Pacquiao is a very great boxer, so he should run for
Presidency.
b. Mom has used to eat Pancit Canton. Pancit Canton is satiating. She suggested that
making this as filling for Siopao is a very great idea!
Internet example:
a. People generally like to walk on the beach. Beaches have sand. Therefore, having
sand floors in homes would be a great idea!24
23
Study.com, < http://study.com/academy/lesson/non-sequitur-definition-examples-quiz.html >, 2003- 2016
Study.com
24
Logically Fallacious, < https://www.logicallyfallacious.com/tools/lp/Bo/LogicalFallacies/136/Non_Sequitur >,
2016, Archieboy Holdings, LLC
25
Logically Fallacious, < https://www.logicallyfallacious.com/tools/lp/Bo/LogicalFallacies/81/Equivocation >, 2016,
Archieboy Holdings, LLC
26
Logically Fallacious, < https://www.logicallyfallacious.com/tools/lp/Bo/LogicalFallacies/81/Equivocation >, 2016,
Archieboy Holdings, LLC
27
Logically Fallacious, < https://www.logicallyfallacious.com/tools/lp/Bo/LogicalFallacies/83/Existential-Fallacy >,
2016, Archieboy Holdings, LLC
a. All babysitters have pimples. All babysitter club members are babysitters. Therefore,
some babysitter club members have pimples.28
28
Logically Fallacious, < https://www.logicallyfallacious.com/tools/lp/Bo/LogicalFallacies/83/Existential-Fallacy >,
2016, Archieboy Holdings, LLC