Have you ever been in an argument with someone? The most probable answer is yes. While in the argument, have you ever noticed any argument errors? Have you ever felt that your original question was not addressed, or that your argument was misrepresented? If you have experienced any of these situations before, then you’ve encountered logical fallacies.
Logical fallacies are common errors in argument construction; they may sound true but are not. These sneaky traps of faulty reasoning can be found lurking in debates, advertisements, political speeches, and everyday conversations.In this article, We will delve into top most commonly used Logical Fallacies. Armed with this knowledge, you will not only be a discerning thinker but also a formidable communicator.
1. Ad Hominem
Ad Hominem stands for ‘argument against the person’. This is one most the most common logical fallacies. This logical fallacy occurs when, instead of addressing the opponent’s claim or position, you attack the person or their character. Most people have likely encountered this scenario in their lives at least once. Individuals may react in this manner unknowingly or deliberately. Sometimes, people respond in this way because they lack adequate knowledge of the claim they have made, leading to frustration being directed towards their opponent.
Example:
Person A: I believe we should invest more in public education.
Person B: Why should someone even listen to you? You are just a waiter at a coffee shop.
2. Straw Man
The Straw Man logical fallacy occurs when someone represents an opponent’s question or position in such a way that it is easy to attack. Sometimes, people attack the weaker section of the opponent’s position or claim. In this fallacy, the actual question/claim never gets addressed.
Example:
Person A: ‘I think the government should not spend a huge amount of money on building giant statues of our freedom fighters.’
Person B: ‘So, you are not okay with building statues of our freedom fighters? You must be an anti-national.’
In this example, Person B didn’t address the rationale behind building the gigantic statues; instead, Person B misrepresented Person A’s argument and labeled him/her as anti-national.
3. Appeal to Emotion
This fallacy occurs when a person tries to manipulate your emotions to win an argument or support a position. You may encounter this fallacy in auditions, marketing, political rallies etc.
Example 1:
‘You should support our campaign to save trees by donating some money. Think of your grandchildren. What will they do if they run out of oxygen? Can’t you donate a few bucks for your grandchildren?’
Example 2:
A dance performer tries to persuade the judges by explaining how poor his/her economic condition is. In this case, the performer is not impressing the judges with his dance skills; instead, he is trying to manipulate the judges’ emotions.
4. Circular Reasoning or Begging the question
This fallacy occurs when conclusion of the argument is already assumed instead of providing logic behind the claim or supporting position. This is one of the common logical fallacies used in religious discussions.
Example 1:
“Our ancestors already knew about technology behind the Airplane as it is written in our religious book”
In the above example it is already assumed that whatever written in religious book is the truth.
Example 2:
“Aliens must exist as there are reports of UFO sighting”
In the above example it is already assumed that reports of UFO sighting are true.
5. False Cause (Post Hoc)
The False Cause fallacy occurs when someone incorrectly assumes that an event caused another event. Here, the person assumes that two events are related just because they occurred one after another without any proof.
Example 1:
“As soon as I started burning trash, it started pouring rain. So, burning trash causes rain.”
Example 2:
“I ate ice cream today and my headache went away. So ice cream cures headaches.”
This is one of the common logical fallacies in political arguments.
6. Hasty Generalization
7. Slippery Slope
The Slippery Slope fallacy occurs when someone asserts that a particular action will set off a chain reaction of events, ultimately leading to catastrophic consequences, all without offering substantial evidence. In this type of argument, the person predicts a series of events without adequate support and often relies on fear or alarmism. Politicians frequently employ this fallacy to create a sense of impending doom or anxiety.
Example 1:
‘If we permit students to bring smartphones to school, they will likely become distracted in class, perform poorly on exams, and ultimately contribute to higher unemployment rates in our country.’
In this instance, the assumption is that allowing smartphones in schools will somehow lead to increased unemployment in the country.
8. Appeal to Authority
In this fallacy, one argues that a statement or claim must be true because it has been made by someone in authority. In this case, the person in authority may be an expert in a particular area, but the claim made by them is outside of their expertise. This is also one of most commonly used logical fallacies.
Example:
‘I am following the diet I found on Ronaldo’s Instagram. The diet must be effective because it was recommended by Ronaldo.
9. False Dichotomy (Black-and-White Thinking)
False Dichotomy, also known as the Black and White fallacy or Either-or fallacy, occurs when someone presents a complex issue as having only two possible outcomes or options, while in reality, a variety of other options exists. This is one of the common logical fallacies used in political campaign.
Example:
A politician may declare during their campaign, ‘I am the only choice you have; all the other candidates are corrupt.’ In this case, the politician falsely claims that all the other candidates are corrupt and that your only choice is either them or another corrupt politician.
10. Appeal to Ignorance
The Appeal to Ignorance fallacy occurs when someone argues that a claim must be true because it has not been proven false or that a claim must be false because it has not been proven true yet. In other words, it relies on the lack of evidence or knowledge to support the conclusion. This is one of the commonly used logical fallacies in religious argument.
Example 1:
“God exists because nobody has proved that God does not exist.”
Example 2:
“Since no one can prove that time travel is impossible, it must be possible.”