Log Fall Flashcards - Edition: February 2011

Log Fall Flashcards:
Edition: February 2011
a study tool to assist those learning

the most common logical fallacies
plaguing the world today.
Log Fall . com
Senior Editors
• Phil Stilwell
• Tim Stilwell
©2011 Phil Stilwell / Tim Stilwell

Circular cause and consequence:
Causal/Evidential Fallacy
where the consequence of

the phenomenon is said to be
an inescapable cause of the
phenomenon when the truth may be
otherwise.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/circular-cause-and-consequence/
Log Fall . com
“My music CD is not popular because people are
not listening to it. And people are not listening
to it because it is not popular. If they would only
listen to it, it would become popular.”
Log Fall . com
Correlation is not causation:
Causal Fallacy
where a correlation found between

two variables is presumed to
demonstrate a causal relationship
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/correlation-is-not-causation/
Log Fall . com
“Children who eat breakfast have higher grades,
so eating breakfast causes higher grades.”
Log Fall . com
Post hoc ergo propter hoc:
Causal Fallacy
when a cause of a phenomenon is

attributed to a prior phenomenon
without providing evidence of
causation.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/post-hoc-ergo-propter-hoc/
Log Fall . com
“After I started wearing a copper bracelet, my
health improved! It worked!”
Log Fall . com
Regression fallacy:
Causal/Mathematical Fallacy
ascribes the cause of some

phenomenon to some non-statistical
factor, when natural and expected
statistical fluctuations may account for
the apparent phenomenon.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/regression-fallacy/
Log Fall . com
“Last year we had 12 car accidents on main
street, double the previous year’s figures! The
frequency of accidents on Main Street fell to
only 6 again after a speed camera was installed
early this year. Therefore, the speed camera has
improved road safety.”
Log Fall . com
Retrospective determinism:
Causal/Perspectival Fallacy
arguing that, because some event

has occurred, its occurrence was
inevitable and should have been clear
from the “obvious” causes.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/retrospective-determinism/
Log Fall . com
“From the time the young Wayne Gretzky first
put on skates, it was obvious from his natural
ability and determinism that he was destined for
greatness.”
Log Fall . com
Single cause fallacy:
Causal/Conceptual Fallacy
occurs when it is assumed that there is

merely one cause of a phenomenon
while other possibly contributing
causes go undetected, are ignored or
are illegitimately minimized.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/single-cause-fallacy/
Log Fall . com
“The drop in crime in our neighborhood is due
to better policing.”
Log Fall . com
Slippery slope:
Causal/Conceptual Fallacy
the argument that a small first step will

inevitably leads to a chain of related
events culminating in some significant
undesirable impact.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/slippery-slope/
Log Fall . com
“If we allow alcohol use on campus, we will
eventually be forced to allow illicit drug use.”
Log Fall . com
Wrong causal direction:
Causal Fallacy
where actual cause and effect are

mistakenly reversed.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/wrong-causal-direction/
Log Fall . com
“I’ve noticed that people with psychological
disorders tend to use recreational drugs. They
must be taking drugs to relieve the trauma of
their disorders.”
Log Fall . com
Abstraction denial:
Conceptual Fallacy
where an abstraction is denied

existence or agency by claiming
the substrate is the actual theater of
agency.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/abstraction-denial/
Log Fall . com
“You can’t claim that computers “work” since it
is, in fact, merely transistors that are doing the
actual processing.”
Log Fall . com
Abstraction fallacy:
Conceptual Fallacy
when a law abstracted from

observation is considered to be
logically necessary.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/abstraction-fallacy/
Log Fall . com
“The law of gravity says that two objects of mass
attract each other, so when physicists say gravity
can repel, they don’t know what they’re talking
about.”
Log Fall . com
Appeal to nature:
Conceptual/Perspectival Fallacy
an argument in which something is

deemed correct or good if it is natural,
and is deemed incorrect or bad if it is
unnatural.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/appeal-to-nature/
Log Fall . com
“Birds are monogamous. Therefore, humans
should also be monogamous.”
Log Fall . com
Bottom-up condemnation:
Conceptual/Evidential Fallacy
an argument of the following form.

Group “A” has the negative quality
“x” and “a” belongs to group “A”.
Therefore “a” has “x”
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/bottom-up-condemnation/
Log Fall . com
“Bankers are jerks, and because my neighbor is a
banker, he must be a jerk.”
Log Fall . com
Bottom-up justification:

Group “A” has the positive quality
“x” and “a” belongs to group “A”.
Therefore “a” has “x”.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/bottom-up-justification/
Log Fall . com
“Bankers are nice people, and since my neighbor
is a banker, he must be a nice guy.”
Log Fall . com
Composition fallacy:
Conceptual Fallacy
the misconception that something true

of the constituents of a whole must
also necessarily be true of the whole.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/composition-fallacy/
Log Fall . com
“Paper money can be exchanged. An economy is
composed of paper money, so an economy can be
exchanged.”
Log Fall . com
Continuum fallacy:
Conceptual/Linguistic Fallacy
rejecting an argument on the grounds

that one of it’s concepts cannot
be defined discretely into a precise
category.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/continuum-fallacy/
Log Fall . com
“You can’t claim that your backpack is heavy
until you give me a precise definition of “heavy.””
Log Fall . com
Denying the correlative:
Conceptual Fallacy
where attempts are made at

introducing alternatives where none
exist.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/denying-the-correlative/
Log Fall . com
“My girlfriend wanted to know whether I had
cheated on her. I told her that perhaps it was
impossible to have cheated on her since if I had
cheated, it would mean we never really had a
relationship to cheat on.”
Log Fall . com
Division fallacy:
Conceptual Fallacy
where one reasons logically that

something true of an entire thing must
also be true of all or some of its parts.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/division-fallacy/
Log Fall . com
“Because a brain possesses thoughts, and a brain
is composed of neurons, therefore these neurons
pass thoughts back and forth.”
Log Fall . com
False analogy:
Conceptual Fallacy
a case in which the analogy fails

to coherently maintain a parallel to
the original concept on the point in
question.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/false-analogy/
Log Fall . com
“Because physicists say mass equals energy,
therefore mass can travel the speed of light.”
Log Fall . com
False compromise:
Conceptual Fallacy
is the assertion that a compromise

near the middle of two positions is
correct.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/false-compromise/
Log Fall . com
“If the cyclist had been wearing a helmet as he
ought to have, my drunk driving would not have
killed him. The court should reduce my prison
sentence from 10 to 5 years.”
Log Fall . com
False dilemma:
Conceptual Fallacy
where two alternative positions or

choices are wrongly assumed to be
the only ones possible.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/false-dilemma/
Log Fall . com
“If you are not with us, you’re against us!”
Log Fall . com
Faulty generalization:
when an inductive conclusion is

unwarranted by the degree of
evidence or ignores information that
warrants an exception.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/faulty-generalization/
Log Fall . com
“He and his 4 brothers are bald, so his mother
must also be bald.”
Log Fall . com
For the sake of argument denial:
Conceptual/Epistemic Fallacy
an attempt to disallow an assumption

introduced for the sake of argument
because it is not actually believed.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/for-the-sake-of-argument-denial/
Log Fall . com
“Your argument that Santa is not real because he
would need to fly his sleigh at impossible speeds
on Christmas Eve is not valid since you don’t
even believe in Santa.”
Log Fall . com
Homunculus fallacy:
where a lower level of perception is

introduced to explain perception at
a higher level, then explains the lower
level by invoking the very terms of
perception in question.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/homunculus-fallacy/
Log Fall . com
“Our brains see a face when light from that face
enters our eyes, is passed to our neurons, and the
face is finally recognized by our neurons.”
Log Fall . com
Human standard fallacy:
where a human law, categorization,

definition or judgment is assumed to
supersede objective fact.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/human-standard-fallacy/
Log Fall . com
“Because there is a law against chewing gum
on Wednesdays, it is immoral to chew gum on
Wednesdays.”
Log Fall . com
Incomplete comparison:
Conceptual Fallacy
where not enough information

is provided to make a complete
comparison.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/incomplete-comparison/
Log Fall . com
“This watch is more accurate than that watch, so
it’s better to buy this one.”
Log Fall . com
Inconsistent comparison:
Conceptual/Formal Fallacy
where complex nodes of comparison

are used that make it falsely appear
as if a complete comparison has been
made.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/inconsistent-comparison/
Log Fall . com
“My son Arthur runs faster than Thomas, gets
higher grades than George, and plays piano
better than William. He’s definitely the most
talented boy.”
Log Fall . com
Is–ought problem:
Conceptual Fallacy
the inappropriate inference that,

because something is a particular
way, it ought to be that way.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/is–ought-problem/
Log Fall . com
“Nearly all humans wear clothing in public, so it
is immoral not to.”
Log Fall . com
Linearity fallacy:
Conceptual/Mathematical Fallacy
The assumption that a phenomenon

functions linearly, overlooking
important factors that produce non-
linearity.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/linearity-fallacy/
Log Fall . com
“The mortality rate of cats falling 20 stories will
be double that of cats falling 10 stories.”
Log Fall . com
No True Scotsman:
when a conventional categorization

is denied based on unconventional or
arbitrary criteria.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/no-true-scotsman/
Log Fall . com
“How can you call yourself a patriot when you
are against this war!”
Log Fall . com
Package-deal fallacy:
Conceptual Fallacy
consists of assuming that things often

grouped together by tradition or
culture must always be grouped that
way.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/package-deal-fallacy/
Log Fall . com
“She’s likes bowling, so she certainly drinks beer
as do most other bowlers.”
Log Fall . com
Perfect solution fallacy:
where an argument assumes that a

perfect solution must exist and/or that
a solution should be rejected because
some part of the problem would still
exist after it has been implemented.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/perfect-solution-fallacy/
Log Fall . com
“But, Dad! Your $20 is not going to replace the
car I crashed! Keep your money!”
Log Fall . com
Perfect standard:
Conceptual Fallacy
when an ideal of perfection is placed

in contrast to a gradient of many
imperfect states, implying that there
are only 2 discrete categories.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/perfect-standard/
Log Fall . com
“I remember you once shouted in anger at your
brother. You are essentially an angry person.”
Log Fall . com
Proof by example:
where examples are offered as

inductive proof for a universal
proposition.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/proof-by-example/
Log Fall . com
“This apple is red, so all apples must be red.”
Log Fall . com
Reification:
Conceptual/Linguistic/Perspectival Fallacy
when an abstraction is treated as if it

were a real event or physical entity.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/reification/
Log Fall . com
“The falling tree chose to flatten my new truck.
So I hacked it into firewood and punished it in
my wood stove.”
Log Fall . com
Spotlight fallacy:
Perspectival Fallacy
when a person uncritically assumes

that every member within a certain
porous category is like those that
receive the most coverage in the
media.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/spotlight-fallacy/
Log Fall . com
“All the Hispanics I’ve seen interviewed on
television are not the least bit shy, so your
neighbor Felipe surely can’t be shy!”
Log Fall . com
Suppressed correlative:
an argument which tries to redefine

one mutually exclusive option so that it
encompasses the other option.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/suppressed-correlative/
Log Fall . com
“You can’t claim to be intelligent since there is
someone always more intelligent than you are.”
Log Fall . com
Teleological fallacy:
Conceptual Fallacy
the claim that some object or idea has

a purpose or necessary end point in
the absence of evidence for that end
point.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/teleological-fallacy/
Log Fall . com
“Why would God have given us noses if he
hadn’t planned that we should wear glasses?”
Log Fall . com
Top-down condemnation:

“a” has the negative quality “x” and
belongs to the group “A”. Therefore
“A”s have “x”.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/top-down-condemnation/
Log Fall . com
“My neighbor is a banker, and is a jerk.
Therefore, bankers are jerks.”
Log Fall . com
Top-down justification:

“a” has the positive quality “x” and
belongs to the group “A”. Therefore
“A”s have “x”.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/top-down-justification/
Log Fall . com
“My neighbor is a banker, and a really nice guy.
Therefore, bankers are nice guys.”
Log Fall . com
Appeal to authority:
Emotional/Evidential Fallacy
where an claim is deemed true

because of the position, authority or
esteem of the person asserting it.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/appeal-to-authority/
Log Fall . com
“My sociology professor says globalization has
had a net negative effect on humanity, so it is
obviously true.”
Log Fall . com
Appeal to consequences:
an argument that assumes the

consequences of an idea, to some
degree, reflect the veracity of the
idea.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/appeal-to-consequences/
Log Fall . com
“If a virus erased my hard-drive, I’d loose all my
work documents. It can’t possibly happen.”
Log Fall . com
Appeal to fear:
Emotional Fallacy
an appeal to emotion where an

argument is made by increasing fear
and prejudice towards the opposing
side.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/appeal-to-fear/
Log Fall . com
“If you don’t vote her into office, terrorism will
accelerate, and our great nation will fall.”
Log Fall . com
Appeal to flattery:
Emotional Fallacy
an appeal to emotion in which the use

of flattery is used to attract support for
the argument.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/appeal-to-flattery/
Log Fall . com
“Your intelligence prevents you from rejecting the
truth of my claim.”
Log Fall . com
Appeal to motive:
Emotional/Causal Fallacy
where a premise is dismissed, by

calling into question the motives of its
sponsor.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/appeal-to-motive/
Log Fall . com
“The director gave her the leading role only
because he wanted to date her.”
Log Fall . com
Appeal to novelty:
Emotional/Perspectival/Tactical Fallacy
where a proposal is claimed to be

superior or better solely based on it
being new or modern.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/appeal-to-novelty/
Log Fall . com
“This brilliant strategy that the management has
introduced is revolutionary and will change the
way we do business!”
Log Fall . com
Appeal to pity:
Emotional Fallacy
an argument in which the evoking

of sympathy is used in an attempt to
validate the argument.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/appeal-to-pity/
Log Fall . com
“If there is no after-life, then the lives of tens of
millions suffering in poverty have no meaning.”
Log Fall . com
Appeal to ridicule:
Emotional Fallacy
an argument in which the use of

ridicule or shame is introduced in an
attempt to invalidate the opposing
position.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/appeal-to-ridicule/
Log Fall . com
“So, since you believe in evolution, you have to
believe your grandfather was an ape! Hilarious!”
Log Fall . com
Appeal to spite:
Emotional Fallacy
an appeal to emotion in which an

argument is made through exploiting
bitterness towards the proponents of
an opposing position.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/appeal-to-spite/
Log Fall . com
“If you think we should bailout that bank,
consider that the incompetent traders who
created this financial fiasco will be celebrating
with champagne while we, the common folk, will
be paying even higher taxes.”
Log Fall . com
Appeal to tradition:
where a claim is deemed correct on

the basis that it has a long-standing
tradition behind it.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/appeal-to-tradition/
Log Fall . com
“Polygamy is wrong because marriage here in
our country has long been only between one
man and one women.”
Log Fall . com
Argumentum ad baculum:
Emotional/Tactical Fallacy
where an argument is made through

coercion or threats of force towards
an opposing party.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/argumentum-ad-baculum/
Log Fall . com
“You’ve been a good employee up to this point,
John. And I think you’ll agree that shining my
shoes is not at all as humiliating as losing your
job.”
Log Fall . com
Wishful thinking:
Emotional/Epistemic/Evidential Fallacy
in which a decision is encouraged

based on what might be pleasing
to imagine, rather than based on
evidence or reason.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/wishful-thinking/
Log Fall . com
“If there were no life after death, then this life
would be rather meaningless, and so I choose to
believe we have an eternal soul.”
Log Fall . com
All or nothing fallacy:
Epistemic/Evidential Fallacy
when it is implied that one must

believe all or nothing of a particular set
of beliefs.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/all-or-nothing-fallacy/
Log Fall . com
“There are many historical documents that
substantiate the notion that Saint Nicolas gave
gifts to children. So to say he doesn’t descend
chimneys on Christmas Eve is against the
historical facts.”
Log Fall . com
Artificial negation:
the syntactic use of negation to

wrongly imply an affirmative epistemic
commitment.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/artificial-negation/
Log Fall . com
“Where’s your evidence for your belief that
there are no unicorns? Your faith in the lack
of unicorns is no different from my faith in the
existence of unicorns.”
Log Fall . com
Confidence as a validator:
Epistemic/Emotional/Perceptual Fallacy
when the certainty one feels in respect

to a claim is submitted as evidence for
the veracity of that claim.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/confidence-as-a-validator/
Log Fall . com
“I’ve never swayed from my confidence that
Santa is real, and there is no degree of evidence
that can counter the way I feel.”
Log Fall . com
Denial of the epistemic gradient:
diminishing semantic resolution by

creating artificially discrete epistemic
categories.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/denial-of-the-epistemic-gradient/
Log Fall . com
“Either you believe in space aliens or you don’t!
Tell me whether you believe in space aliens!”
Log Fall . com
Absence of evidence fallacy:
Evidential Fallacy
invoking the popular but wrong notion

that finding no evidence for something
is no evidence for the absence of that
thing.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/absence-of-evidence-fallacy/
Log Fall . com
“The fact that you did not see me at your
birthday party does not mean I was not there!”
Log Fall . com
Argument from fallacy:
Evidential Fallacy
assuming that, if an argument for

some conclusion is fallacious, then the
conclusion is false.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/argument-from-fallacy/
Log Fall . com
“Tom told me that, because all Cubans are
human, and I am a human, therefore I am a
Cuban. His argument is invalid, and therefore I
am not a Cuban.”
Log Fall . com
Argument from ignorance:
Evidential Fallacy
assuming that something is true

because it has not been proven false,
or false because it has not been
proven to be true.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/argument-from-ignorance/
Log Fall . com
“Fairies must exist since we’ve seen no evidence
falsifying their existence.”
Log Fall . com
Argument from silence:
Evidential Fallacy
a conclusion deemed true based on

the lack of opposition.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/argument-from-silence/
Log Fall . com
“Because my opponent failed to address my
point, my point is validated.”
Log Fall . com
Argumentum ad populum:
Evidential/Conceptual/Epistemic Fallacy
where a conclusion is claimed to be

true solely because many people
believe it to be true.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/argumentum-ad-populum/
Log Fall . com
“Nearly everyone believes there are moral rules
we must live by, so for you to claim these moral
rules do not exist is ridiculous!”
Log Fall . com
Bare assertion fallacy:
Evidential/Tactical Fallacy
where a controversial premise is

introduced without substantiation.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/bare-assertion-fallacy/
Log Fall . com
“My father Is 3 meters tall. Your father is only
1 meter tall. Therefore my father is taller than
your father.”
Log Fall . com
Chronological snobbery:
Evidential/Perspectival Fallacy
where a conclusion is deemed

incorrect because it was commonly
held when something else that was
clearly false was also commonly held.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/chronological-snobbery/
Log Fall . com
“Why must we accept medieval art as having
any value when it emerged from the same period
in which people burned witches and believed in
fairies?”
Log Fall . com
Demanding a mechanism:
Evidential Fallacy
where overwhelming evidence for

a phenomenon is rejected on the
grounds that the causal mechanism is
not known or understood.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/demanding-a-mechanism/
Log Fall . com
“Scientists still can’t explain how and why
lightning occurs. Therefore, I am not obligated to
assume that the cause is electromagnetic.”
Log Fall . com
Denying a remote hypothetical:
Evidential/Conceptual Fallacy
when a worthy hypothetical is rejected

on grounds it is rare or improbable.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/denying-a-remote-hypothetical/
Log Fall . com
“Your scenario of having to choose between
killing your child or your father or letting them
both starve does is not applicable to my moral
code since such a dilemma has probably never
actually occurred in real life.”
Log Fall . com
Epistemic/ontological conflation:
Evidential/Epistemic/Perceptual Fallacy
when the effects of a belief in a thing

are assumed to be evidence for the
existence of that thing.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/epistemic/ontological-conflation/
Log Fall . com
“Those who believe they are intelligent, out-
perform those who think they are not intelligent
on IQ tests. Therefore they are more intelligent.”
Log Fall . com
Hasty generalization:
Evidential/Mathematical Fallacy
leaping to a conclusion with

insufficient statistics or a insufficient
sample size.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/hasty-generalization/
Log Fall . com
“I drove through the town and counted 20
residents, all of them women. The town has only
female residents.”
Log Fall . com
Impotent logical space:
where every possible outcome is

predicted by a theory, thereby
rendering it either redundant to what is
materially expected or non-existent.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/impotent-logical-space/
Log Fall . com
“We have only blurry photo evidence for the
existence of alien space ships, but that’s only
because the aliens have technology that prevent
our cameras from functioning properly.”
Log Fall . com
Piggy-back assumption:
Evidential Fallacy
when one is connected to a second

assumption in a non-contingent way,
then the 1st assumption is deemed
justified by evidence for the 2nd
assumption.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/piggy-back-assumption/
Log Fall . com
“I’ve told you that I’m a CIA agent from Boston.
Here’s my driver’s license showing a Boston
address. That should make it clear that I work
for the CIA.”
Log Fall . com
Redeeming illogic with evidence:
Evidential Fallacy
where a proponent of an illogical

concept demands evidence before
dismissing the illogical concept.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/redeeming-illogic-with-evidence/
Log Fall . com
“I have a golden square triangle instead of a
heart in my chest, and I have the lab analysis to
prove it.”
Log Fall . com
Sharpshooter fallacy:
picking your target after you make

your prediction or speculation to
ensure that you are right.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/sharpshooter-fallacy/
Log Fall . com
“Last year, the governor promised to stimulate
the economy during his term, and you will note
that this year there has been an increase of 2,000
jobs in the service industry.”
Log Fall . com
Special pleading:
where a proponent of a position

attempts to introduce an exemption to
a generally accepted rule or principle
without justifying the exemption.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/special-pleading/
Log Fall . com
“Prayer works, but it’s just that you can’t subject
it’s claims to the tools of science.”
Log Fall . com
Track-record reset:
Evidential Fallacy
when, for every new question, the

inductive evidence from relevant past
experience is ignored.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/track-record-reset/
Log Fall . com
“Wake up, Dear! Something’s banging on the
trash cans again. I know that for the hundreds
of other times you’ve checked, it’s only been cats,
but could you please go out and make sure it
isn’t zombies this time?”
Log Fall . com
Witness chain:
where a witness attempts to bolster

their own testimony by claiming, with
no independent substantiation, that
there were other witnesses.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/witness-chain/
Log Fall . com
“I saw a ghost 5 years ago, and my uncle who
died last year told me he also saw it!”
Log Fall . com
Affirmative conclusion from a negative premise:
Formal Fallacy
when a categorical syllogism has a

positive conclusion, but at least one
negative premise.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/affirmative-conclusion-from-a-negative-premise/
Log Fall . com
“I don’t eat meat. People who eat meat have no
compassion. Therefore, I have compassion.”
Log Fall . com
Affirming a disjunct:
Formal Fallacy
concluding that one logical disjunction

must be false because the other
disjunct is true; A or B; A; therefore not
B.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/affirming-a-disjunct/
Log Fall . com
“My new neighbor looked so happy, I knew he
had either a girlfriend or a wife. He told me
he has a wife, so I know he does not have a
girlfriend.”
Log Fall . com
Affirming the consequent:
Formal Fallacy
the antecedent in a conditional

is claimed to be true because the
consequent is true; if A, then B; B,
therefore A.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/affirming-the-consequent/
Log Fall . com
“Whenever it rains, people carry umbrellas.
People are carrying umbrellas, so it must be
raining.”
Log Fall . com
Begging the question:
Formal Fallacy
where the conclusion of an argument

is implicitly or explicitly assumed in one
of the premises.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/begging-the-question/
Log Fall . com
“This medicine will definitely make you well
since it can cure your disease.”
Log Fall . com
Denying the antecedent:
Formal Fallacy
where the consequent in an indicative

conditional is claimed to be false
because the antecedent is false; if A,
then B; not A, therefore not B.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/denying-the-antecedent/
Log Fall . com
“If I were a movie star, I’d be popular. But I’m
not a movie star, so I’m not popular.”
Log Fall . com
Exclusive premises:
Formal Fallacy
where a categorical syllogism that is

invalid because both of its premises
are negative.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/exclusive-premises/
Log Fall . com
“No humans are birds. Some birds are not
lawyers. Therefore some lawyers are not
humans.”
Log Fall . com
Illicit major:
Formal Fallacy
where a categorical syllogism is invalid

because its major term is undistributed
in the major premise but distributed in
the conclusion.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/illicit-major/
Log Fall . com
“Because all pigs like mud, and no birds are pigs,
therefore no birds like mud.”
Log Fall . com
Negative proof fallacy:
Formal Fallacy
assuming that, because a premise

cannot be proven false, the premise
must be true; or that, because a
premise cannot be proven true, the
premise must be false.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/negative-proof-fallacy/
Log Fall . com
“Can you prove I’m not wearing an invisible hat?
If you can’t, I’m justified in believing I am.”
Log Fall . com
Square logic:
Formal Fallacy
a complex argument which loses

logical cohesion somewhere in the
complexity.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/square-logic/
Log Fall . com
“If you only asked me, I would tell you the truth.
But you didn’t ask, so if I told you a lie you
wouldn’t believe it was a lie since the truth is not
what you asked for.”
Log Fall . com
Undistributed middle:
Formal Fallacy
when the middle general term in a

categorical syllogism is not distributed
to more specific terms of the same
category.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/undistributed-middle/
Log Fall . com
“All humans are 2-legged, and all birds are
2-legged. Therefore all humans are birds.”
Log Fall . com
Equivocation:
Linguistic Fallacy
the misleading use of a term that has

more than one meaning.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/equivocation/
Log Fall . com
“The strange man told me he wanted to take
me out. I had him arrested for making a death
threat.”
Log Fall . com
Etymological fallacy:
Linguistic Fallacy
where it is argued that the original

or historical meaning of a word or
phrase is necessarily similar to its actual
present-day meaning.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/etymological-fallacy/
Log Fall . com
“Because “gay” meant “happy” in the past, you
can’t call homosexuals “gay” unless they are
happy.”
Log Fall . com
Genetic fallacy:
Linguistic/Conceptual Fallacy
where a conclusion is suggested

based solely on something or
someone’s origin rather than its current
meaning or context.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/genetic-fallacy/
Log Fall . com
“Australia will never become a great nation
considering it arose from penal colonies of mere
criminals.”
Log Fall . com
Overwhelming exception:
Linguistic/Conceptual Fallacy
a generalization that is coupled with

qualifications so restrictive that the
generalization is essentially impotent.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/overwhelming-exception/
Log Fall . com
“I’m the type of man who always pays for my
date’s dinner...except in the case where she want
to go somewhere other than KFC.”
Log Fall . com
Semantic pixelization:
Linguistic Fallacy
where a term or concept with low

semantic precision is chosen over
an available more precise term or
concept in a way that distorts the
opponent’s stance.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/semantic-pixelization/
Log Fall . com
“You say you tend to believe you’ll not die before
you’re 50. If you don’t believe you’ll die before
you’re 50, why did you buy a life insurance
policy when you were 30?”
Log Fall . com
Appeal to probability:
Mathematical Fallacy
assuming that, because something

could happen, it is inevitable that it will
happen.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/appeal-to-probability/
Log Fall . com
“I’m bound to win the lottery if I just keep
buying tickets.”
Log Fall . com
Base rate fallacy:
Mathematical Fallacy
making a probability judgment without

taking into account known empirical
statistics about the probability.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/base-rate-fallacy/
Log Fall . com
“The rare disease detection device is 99%
accurate, and it detected that I have a rare
disease. Therefore I almost certainly do have a
rare disease.”
Log Fall . com
Ecological fallacy:
Mathematical/Conceptual Fallacy
inferences about the nature of specific

individuals are based solely upon
aggregate statistics collected for
the group to which those individuals
belong.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/ecological-fallacy/
Log Fall . com
“Because the average German is taller than me,
you won’t find a German who is shorter than
me.”
Log Fall . com
Gambler’s fallacy:
Mathematical/Causal Fallacy
the incorrect belief that the

likelihood of a random event can be
affected by or predicted from other,
independent events.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/gamblers-fallacy/
Log Fall . com
“The coin flip has resulted in 5 “heads” in a row.
I’m overdue for a “tails”.”
Log Fall . com
Naturalistic fallacy:
Perceptual/Conceptual/Evidential Fallacy
the claim that if something is natural,

pleasant, or popular, then it is good or
right.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/naturalistic-fallacy/
Log Fall . com
“I know I’m in love with a bank robber. But how
could could it be wrong if it feels so right?”
Log Fall . com
Historian’s fallacy:
assuming that decision makers of

the past viewed events from the
same perspective and had the same
information as those subsequently
analyzing the decision.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/historians-fallacy/
Log Fall . com
“If I had lived in medieval times, I would
certainly not have thought the sun circled the
earth as did all the other fools!”
Log Fall . com
Intentional fallacy:
Perspectival/Linguistic Fallacy
the assumption that the meaning

intended by an author of a concept
is not relevant to the understanding of
that concept.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/intentional-fallacy/
Log Fall . com
“We ought to interpret “right to bear arms”
within the context of our own time, and ignore
the intent of the authors of the phrase.”
Log Fall . com
Psychologist’s fallacy:
occurs when an observer presupposes

the objectivity of his own perspective
when analyzing a behavioral event.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/psychologists-fallacy/
Log Fall . com
“My buddies probably wish they were not
married just as I do.”
Log Fall . com
Ad hominem:
Tactical/Emotional Fallacy
attacking the person instead of the

argument.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/ad-hominem/
Log Fall . com
“What would you know about economics? You
filed for bankruptcy last year!”
Log Fall . com
Appeal to accomplishment:
Tactical/Evidential Fallacy
where an claim is deemed true based

on the accomplishments of its sponsor.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/appeal-to-accomplishment/
Log Fall . com
“Isaac Newton had such an impact on science,
so there must have been some value in his later
work in alchemy.”
Log Fall . com
Appeal to emotion:
Tactical/Emotional/Epistemic Fallacy
where a position is promoted through

the manipulation of emotions, rather
than through the presentation of an
actual argument.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/appeal-to-emotion/
Log Fall . com
“It would be awesome to know that we were not
alone in the universe. I can’t help but believe
space aliens exist out there somewhere.”
Log Fall . com
Argument from repetition:
Tactical Fallacy
assuming that, because no one cares

to discuss your position with you any
longer, that your position is correct.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/argument-from-repetition/
Log Fall . com
“I’ve been arguing with my wife for 20 years
about my gambling habit. She finally stopped
arguing with me, demonstrating that I’ve been
right all these years.”
Log Fall . com
Association fallacy:
Tactical/Evidential/Formal Fallacy
where a claim is deemed true or

untrue based on an association with
some irrelevant element.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/association-fallacy/
Log Fall . com
“Jane is an exceptional pianist, and also pretty.
Therefore, all pianists are pretty.”
Log Fall . com
Cherry picking:
pointing out individual cases or data

that seem to confirm a particular
position, while ignoring cases or data
that may contradict that position.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/cherry-picking/
Log Fall . com
“I found 2 statistical studies that conclude
violent video games do not actually increase
violence among children. That’s proof enough for
me!”
Log Fall . com
Contextomy:
Tactical/Linguistic Fallacy
the selective excerpting of words from

their original linguistic context in a way
that distorts the intended meaning.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/contextomy/
Log Fall . com
“My wife told me she needed me to take out
the garbage. When she was moving out a week
later, I told her she was a liar for having said she
“needed me”.”
Log Fall . com
Empty refutation:
Tactical Fallacy
where an argument is said to

be wrong, yet no information or
explanation about what in the
argument was wrong.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/empty-refutation/
Log Fall . com
“You misrepresented my position in your
argument, so your argument is clearly wrong.”
Log Fall . com
Fallacy of many questions:
Tactical Fallacy
when someone asks a question that

presupposes something that has not
been proven or accepted by all the
people involved.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/fallacy-of-many-questions/
Log Fall . com
“So Henry, have you stopped beating your wife?”
Log Fall . com
False surrender:
Tactical Fallacy
offering an unwarranted or premature

truce on a point of contention in order
to misrepresent opponent’s position as
unprovable or inconclusive.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/false-surrender/
Log Fall . com
“My belief that all swans are white isn’t
necessarily falsified by your photo of a black
swan. We’ll just have to agree to disagree.”
Log Fall . com
Moving the goalpost:
where the evidence presented to

meet an initial standard of evidence is
dismissed, and some greater standard
of evidence is then imposed.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/moving-the-goalpost/
Log Fall . com
“I bet you can’t lift this box! … All right, I see
you can lift that box, but I bet you can’t lift this
one over here!”
Log Fall . com
Perverted analogy:
Tactical/Conceptual Fallacy
twisting an opponent’s analogy

to mean something broader than
intended.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/perverted-analogy/
Log Fall . com
“Tom said life is like a river in that those who
spend the energy to maneuver their boats to
the middle of the river will see more during
their lifetime. This is ridiculous since he can not
explained where the boats come from.”
Log Fall . com
Poisoning the well:
Tactical Fallacy
Where negative claims are

preemptively made against a position
with the intention of discrediting
whatever person is about to say.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/poisoning-the-well/
Log Fall . com
“Before my opponent speaks, let me remind you
that he is a college dropout and has never held a
job longer than a year.”
Log Fall . com
Proof by verbosity:
Tactical/Linguistic Fallacy
submitting an argument too complex,

obtuse or verbose to reasonably deal
with.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/proof-by-verbosity/
Log Fall . com
“Insomuch as it remains within our agency, it
behooves us to eschew obfuscation, and espouse
elucidation.”
Log Fall . com
Red herring:
Tactical Fallacy
any attempt to distract from the

opposing argument without actually
addressing it.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/red-herring/
Log Fall . com
“Your ex-wife told me that you once kicked a cat.
This renders your argument invalid.”
Log Fall . com
Straw man argument:
Tactical Fallacy
providing a misrepresentation of an
opponent’s position that can then be
more easily attacked.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/straw-man-argument/
Log Fall . com
“Evolutionists believe life came from nothing.
Nothing can come from nothing, so their position
is absurd!”
Log Fall . com
Thought-terminating cliché:
Tactical Fallacy
where a commonly heard and

accepted phrase is rhetorically
introduced as a substitute for an
actual argument.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/thought-terminating-cliché/
Log Fall . com
“The more things change, the more they stay the
same. Humans will never overcome their violent
nature in spite of recent claims of progress.”
Log Fall . com
Tu quoque:
when it is assumed that, if one wrong

has been committed, another wrong
will remove its culpability.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/tu-quoque/
Log Fall . com
“I admit to stretching the truth a bit, but you
and everyone else tells a white lie from time to
time. You can’t judge me.”
Log Fall . com
Vague insulators:
Tactical Fallacy
where terms are intentionally chosen

for their vagueness in an attempt to
make a position unassailable.
• MORE INFORMATION AT: http://logfall.wordpress.com/vague-insulators/
Log Fall . com
“The energy in these pills creates a force that
balances the body’s essences.”
Log Fall . com

Log Fall Flashcards - Edition: February 2011

Diunggah oleh

Informasi Dokumen

Hak Cipta

Format Tersedia

Bagikan dokumen Ini

Bagikan atau Tanam Dokumen

Opsi Berbagi

Apakah menurut Anda dokumen ini bermanfaat?

Apakah konten ini tidak pantas?

Hak Cipta:

Format Tersedia

Log Fall Flashcards - Edition: February 2011

Diunggah oleh

Hak Cipta:

Format Tersedia

Log Fall Flashcards:

Edition: February 2011

a study tool to assist those learning

©2011 Phil Stilwell / Tim Stilwell

where the consequence of

where a correlation found between

when a cause of a phenomenon is

ascribes the cause of some

arguing that, because some event

occurs when it is assumed that there is

the argument that a small first step will

where actual cause and effect are

where an abstraction is denied

when a law abstracted from

an argument in which something is

an argument of the following form.

an argument of the following form.

the misconception that something true

rejecting an argument on the grounds

where attempts are made at

where one reasons logically that

a case in which the analogy fails

is the assertion that a compromise

where two alternative positions or

when an inductive conclusion is

an attempt to disallow an assumption

where a lower level of perception is

where a human law, categorization,

where not enough information

where complex nodes of comparison

the inappropriate inference that,

The assumption that a phenomenon

when a conventional categorization

consists of assuming that things often

where an argument assumes that a

when an ideal of perfection is placed

where examples are offered as

when an abstraction is treated as if it

when a person uncritically assumes

an argument which tries to redefine

the claim that some object or idea has

an argument of the following form.

an argument of the following form.

where an claim is deemed true

an argument that assumes the

an appeal to emotion where an

an appeal to emotion in which the use

where a premise is dismissed, by

where a proposal is claimed to be

an argument in which the evoking

an argument in which the use of

an appeal to emotion in which an

where a claim is deemed correct on

where an argument is made through

in which a decision is encouraged

when it is implied that one must

the syntactic use of negation to

when the certainty one feels in respect

diminishing semantic resolution by

invoking the popular but wrong notion

assuming that, if an argument for

assuming that something is true

a conclusion deemed true based on

where a conclusion is claimed to be