Logical Fallacies Vocabulary

attacking the person making the argument rather than the argument itself

“Dismissing her point because she's young is an ad hominem fallacy.”

Origin: Latin ad hominem `to the person`

using an authority figure's opinion as evidence when they lack relevant expertise

“Citing a celebrity's medical advice is an appeal to authority.”

Origin: Latin appellare `to address, call upon` + auctoritas `authority` from auctor `originator`

using emotional manipulation instead of logical arguments

“The commercial used sad music as an appeal to emotion.”

Origin: Latin appellare `to address, call upon` + emotio `a moving, stirring` from emovere `to move out`

arguing something is good because it's 'natural'

“Claiming organic foods are healthier is often an appeal to nature.”

Origin: Latin appellare `to address` + natura `nature` from natus `born`

arguing something is true because many people believe it

“Everyone uses this product isn't a valid argument—that's the bandwagon fallacy.”

Origin: American English from band `musical group` + wagon, referring to circus wagons carrying bands in parades

assuming the conclusion in the premise; circular reasoning

“The Bible is true because it says so is begging the question.”

Origin: Translation of Latin petitio principii `assuming the initial point` from petere `to seek` + principium `beginning`

shifting the responsibility to disprove a claim rather than prove it

“Prove unicorns don't exist misplaces the burden of proof.”

Origin: Old French burden `load` + Latin proba `proof` from probare `to test, prove`

selecting only evidence that supports your position while ignoring contradictory data

“The study was accused of cherry picking favorable results.”

Origin: English cherry from Old French cerise + picking from Old English pician `to pick`, referring to selecting only the best cherries

using the conclusion as a premise in the argument

“I'm right because I'm never wrong is circular reasoning.”

Origin: Latin circularis `circular` from circulus `circle` + reasoning from Old French raisoner `to discuss`

assuming that because two things correlate, one causes the other

“Ice cream sales and drownings both rise in summer—correlation, not causation.”

Origin: Latin correlatio `mutual relation` from cor- `together` + relatio vs. causatio `causation` from causa `cause`

using a word with multiple meanings to mislead

“The law is the law uses equivocation to avoid nuance.”

Origin: Latin aequivocus `of equal voice, ambiguous` from aequi- `equal` + vox `voice`

presenting only two options when more exist

“You're either with us or against us is a false dichotomy.”

Origin: Latin falsus `false` + Greek dichotomia `a cutting in two` from dicha `in two` + -tomia `cutting`

treating two different things as if they were the same

“Comparing petty theft to murder is a false equivalence.”

Origin: Latin falsus `false` + aequivalentia `equal worth` from aequi- `equal` + valere `to be worth`

believing past random events affect future probabilities

“The coin landed heads five times, so tails is due is the gambler's fallacy.”

Origin: Middle English gambler `to play games` + Latin fallacia `deception` from fallax `deceitful`

judging something based on its origin rather than its current meaning

“Dismissing an idea because of who proposed it is a genetic fallacy.”

Origin: Greek genetikos `of origin` from genesis `origin` + Latin fallacia `deception`

drawing broad conclusions from limited examples

“Meeting one rude person from a city and judging all residents is a hasty generalization.”

Origin: Old French haste `haste` + Latin generalizare `to make general` from genus `kind, race`

a question containing an unjustified assumption

“Have you stopped cheating? is a loaded question.”

Origin: Old English hladan `to load` + Latin quaestio `a seeking, question` from quaerere `to seek`

changing the criteria for proof after evidence is presented

“After she met his demands, he moved the goalposts.”

Origin: English moving from Old English movan + goal from Middle English gol `boundary` + post from Latin postis `pillar`

dismissing counterexamples by redefining the group

“No real fan would dislike this movie is the no true Scotsman fallacy.”

Origin: English phrase coined by philosopher Antony Flew (1975) from a hypothetical example involving Scottish nationality

introducing an irrelevant topic to divert attention

“Bringing up his charity work during the fraud trial was a red herring.”

Origin: English red + herring, from the practice of using smoked herring to train hunting dogs or distract them from a scent

arguing that one event will inevitably lead to extreme consequences

“If we allow this, soon anything goes is a slippery slope argument.”

Origin: English slippery from Old English slipor `slippery` + slope from Middle English slope `inclined surface`

misrepresenting someone's argument to make it easier to attack

“He built a straw man version of her position, then demolished it.”

Origin: English straw from Old English streaw + man, referring to a dummy or effigy made of straw used for practice fighting

continuing something because of previously invested resources

“Staying in a bad job because you've been there for years is the sunk cost fallacy.”

Origin: English sunk from Old English sunken `submerged` + cost from Latin constare `to stand firm` + fallacy

deflecting criticism by pointing to the critic's similar behavior

“You smoke too is a tu quoque response to health advice.”

Origin: Latin tu quoque `you also, you too`

responding to criticism by pointing to others' faults

“What about their mistakes? is classic whataboutism.”

Origin: English what about + -ism, popularized during the Cold War to describe Soviet propaganda technique

arguing that something is valid because it has always been done that way

“We've always done it this way is an appeal to tradition.”

Origin: Latin appellare `to address` + traditio `handing over, delivery` from tradere `to hand over`

arguing that a conclusion must be true because it has not been proven false

“No one has proven aliens don't exist, so they must exist is an appeal to ignorance.”

Origin: Latin appellare `to address` + ignorantia `lack of knowledge` from ignorare `not to know`