Fallacies of Relevance Vocabulary

attacking the person rather than their argument

“You can't trust his climate research—he drives an SUV. That's ad hominem.”

deflecting criticism by pointing to the accuser's similar behavior

“You criticize my spending, but you bought a boat! That's tu quoque.”

citing an authority outside their expertise as proof

“This actor endorses the diet, so it must work—a false appeal to authority.”

using feelings rather than logic to persuade

“Think of the children!—often an appeal to emotion rather than evidence.”

arguing something is right because it's always been done

“We've always done it this way—an appeal to tradition, not reason.”

claiming something is good because it's natural

“It's natural, so it must be healthy—ignoring that arsenic is also natural.”

judging truth by desirable or undesirable outcomes

“Evolution can't be true—imagine how people would behave! An appeal to consequences.”

introducing an irrelevant topic to divert attention

“Asked about the budget deficit, he discussed crime rates—a red herring.”

judging something based on its origin rather than current meaning

“Democracy came from slave-owning Athens, so it's flawed—a genetic fallacy.”