Skip to main content

Logical Fallacies

My wife pointed out that knowing the basic fallacies that can be encountered in a discussion / argument would be useful.

Here's the list we summarized from 'The Fallacy Detective' and other sources.





#1 What is a Fallacy?
An error in logic. A mistake in thinking.
#2 Red Herring Fallacy
The introduction of an irrelevant point.
#3 Ad Hominem (to the man)
Attacking the other person’s character or reason’s for believing something instead of replying to his argument.
#4 Genetic Fallacy
Saying the argument is no good because of where it began, how it began or who thought of it.
#5 Tu Quoque (you too)
Dismissing someone’s viewpoint on an issue because they are not a good example of carrying it out
#6 Faulty Appeal to Authority
An appeal to someone who has no special knowledge in the area being discussed.
#7 Appeal to the People
Claiming the viewpoint is correct just because many other people agree with it.
#8 Straw Man
Changing or exaggerating an opponent’s argument to make it easier to refute.
#9 Making an Assumption
Taking something for granted, or accepting as true without proof.
#10 Circular Reasoning
An argument which says that P is true because Q is true and Q is true because P is true.because Q=P.
#11 Equivocation
Changing the meaning of a word in the middle of an argument.
#12 Loaded Question
          When someone asks two questions, but one is hidden behind the other.
#13 Part-to-Whole
What is true of part of something must be true of the whole thing together.
#14 Whole-to-Part
What is true of something as a whole must be true of each of its parts.
#15 Either-Or
Thinking we must choose between 2 things when we really have more choices.
#16 Generalization
Making broad comments about a group of people or kinds of things.
#17 Hasty Generalization
Generalizing about a group based upon a small or poor sample.
#18 Analogy
Assuming that because 2 or more items are the same in some things, they will be the same in others.
#19 Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc
Since A happened before B, then A caused B.
#20 Proof by Lack of Evidence
Claiming something is true because nobody has given evidence that it isn’t.
#21 Manipulative Propaganda
Playing with our emotions in order to make us agree.
#22 Appeal to Fear Propaganda
Someone makes you fear the consequences of not doing what he wants.
#23 Appeal to Pity Propaganda
Someone makes you act out of pity.
#24 Bandwagon Propaganda
Pressuring us to do something because many other people are doing it.
#25 Exigency Propaganda
Pressuring you to do something only because there is a time limit.
#26 Repetition Propaganda
Repeating a message loudly and very often so that it will be believed.
#27 Transfer Propaganda
Getting people to transfer feelings about one thing to another unrelated thing.
#28 Snob Appeal Propaganda
Persuading others to use a product because it will make them better than others.
#29 Appeal to Tradition
Persuading others to use or do something only because others did it in the past.
#30 Appeal to High Tech
Persuading others to get something only because it is the latest thing.







Comments

  1. This is a great start, just found the link through AQ. Recognition of fallacies is the first step to having a productive argument. I hope many catholic gentlemen will recognize this and bring thought provoking discussion to the content of this site. An organization called The Teaching Company has an excellent DVD series on argumentation that is an Aug 101 college class. It might help in your efforts to evangelize the N. O. attendees, you might create links to sources that would help the mechanics of the discussions. I look forward to refering my N.O. family members and friends to this site.

    God Bless

    ReplyDelete
  2. Here's another website featuring logical fallacies:

    http://changingminds.org/disciplines/argument/fallacies/fallacies.htm
    http://changingminds.org/disciplines/argument/fallacies/fallacies_alpha.htm

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Curious Case of Steve Skojec and the Dangers of Deep Diving into the Crisis Sub-Titled: The Failings of Others

 + JMJ It's been a while now since Steve Skojec sold 1P5 and abandoned the Catholic Faith. I've been a 'Trad' since 1982 and in those 40+ years I seen this death-spiral before with a similar end point. It seems that anyone who jumps into the fray unprepared for the enormous task of righting wrongs will, eventually, become discouraged by not the task but the people who surround them.   I remember when Skojec complained of the treatment his family received from a traditional priest.  This seems to have been the start of the end for him. So what can we learn from the likes of Steve Skojec, Michael Voris (maybe?), Louie Verrecchio, Gerry Matatix and other celebrity Catholics? Probably quite a lot about what not to do. First, don't burn out on the crisis?  When you burn out, on work or anything else, little things assume a more greater importance than they are due.   This is one of my 'canary in the coal mine' signals that I've been stretching myself too th...

Dogmas of the Catholic Faith (de fide) - Expanded Listing

+ JMJ A friend had mentioned that he has seen a longer list of truths of the Faith than the one I posted here .  I have finally discovered it online. I have yet to completely determine what dogmas were missed in the original, those I have found are highlighted. Source: A List Of The Dogmas Of The Catholic Church - Fr. Carota Alternate Source: Referencing Ott   Posts Listing the Dogmas of the Catholic Church Dogmas of the Catholic Faith (de fide) - Expanded Listing: Answer for Reader (Oct 2022) Updated List of Teachings of the Catholic Church (Oct 2021) *** Dogmas of the Catholic Faith (Oct 2015) De Fide teaching of the Catholic Church (Apr 2013)           *** Latest version    

De Fide Teachings of the Catholic Church (Updated)

+ JMJ  Update: I was reviewing Ott's work directly and noted that some of the Teachings are De Fide while others are different levels of authority (such as Sent Certa etc).  So please refer to Ott for the actual classification). Posts Listing the Dogmas of the Catholic Church Dogmas of the Catholic Faith (de fide) - Expanded Listing: Answer for Reader (Oct 2022) Updated List of Teachings of the Catholic Church (Oct 2021) *** Dogmas of the Catholic Faith (Oct 2015) De Fide teaching of the Catholic Church (Apr 2013)           *** Latest version  

Homily vs Sermon

+ JMJ Something that I've noticed is that Modern Catholics use the phrase 'Homily' instead of 'Sermon'. I've often wondered about this difference. Here's what I found Catholic Encyclopedia (1910) Homily: ...Since Origen's time homily has meant, and still means, a commentary, without formal introduction, division, or conclusion, on some part of Sacred Scripture , the aim being to explain the literal, and evolve the spiritual, meaning of the Sacred Text.  ... Wikipedia Sermon: : A sermon is an oration , lecture , or talk by a member of a religious institution or clergy . Sermons address a scriptural, theological, religious, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law, or behavior within both past and present contexts. Elements of the sermon often include exposition, exhortation, and practical application.   Catholic Encyclopedia (1910) Sermon: As to preaching at the present day, we can clearly trace the influe...

Becoming Traditional Catholic Part I

+ JMJ It is a big step from the non-Traditional to Traditional Catholic World. First of all, the Trad world is much smaller, isolated and under siege. This leads to a number of interesting elements that a person making the transition needs to take into account. The Trad World Is Smaller It is a fact that in the states there are about 30,000 Traditional Catholics who support the SSPX and about 3,000 in Canada.  The other Traditionalit orders (FSSP, ICK, etc), I assume, are in the same ball park if not smaller. Let put that in perspective, in my area there are 270,000 non-Traditional Catholics. Consequently, aside from the larger centers,  a Traditional 'Parish' or Mass Centre will be 200 people or less. This has the advantage of being like an extended family and cozy. It has the disadvantage that any crazy 'uncles' in that family will be in plain sight. Be forewarned that any eccentricity that would be drowned in a sea of people in a non-Traditiona...