Why Logical Fallacies Matter
At Circuspam.Coffee, we explore systems thinking and cognitive traps – from AI reasoning flaws to mathematical deception. Logical fallacies distort truth in politics, tech, and daily decisions. Let’s dissect 31 common types:
The Fallacy Encyclopedia
| Fallacy | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Ad Hominem | Attacks the person making the argument instead of the argument itself. | “You’re wrong because you’re just a student, not a professional.” |
| 2. Straw Man | Misrepresents an argument to make it easier to attack. | “You want better school lunches? So, you think junk food should be banned forever?” |
| 3. Appeal to Ignorance | Claims something is true because it hasn’t been proven false. | “No one has proven aliens don’t exist, so they must be real.” |
| 4. False Dilemma | Presents two extreme options as the only possibilities. | “You either support full surveillance or you support terrorism.” |
| 5. Slippery Slope | Claims a small step will lead to a chain of negative events. | “If we legalize cannabis, next people will want heroin legalized too.” |
| 6. Circular Reasoning | Restates the conclusion as a premise without real evidence. | “He’s trustworthy because he always tells the truth.” |
| 7. Hasty Generalization | Draws broad conclusions from a small or unrepresentative sample. | “My two vegan friends are weak, so all vegans must be unhealthy.” |
| 8. Red Herring | Distracts from the actual issue by introducing irrelevant topics. | “Why worry about rising taxes when crime is still a problem?” |
| 9. Appeal to Authority | Uses authority or expert opinion as proof without evidence. | “This celebrity uses this skincare, so it must be effective.” |
| 10. Bandwagon Fallacy | Assumes something is true or good because it’s popular. | “Everyone’s buying this phone—so it must be the best.” |
| 11. Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc | Assumes that because one event followed another, it was caused by it. | “I wore red socks and aced my test—red socks must be lucky!” |
| 12. Appeal to Emotion | Manipulates feelings instead of using logic. | “Think of the poor animals—don’t wear leather!” |
| 13. Tu Quoque | Avoids criticism by accusing the critic of the same issue. | “How can you tell me to quit smoking when you smoke too?” |
| 14. False Equivalence | Treats two unequal things as if they’re morally or logically the same. | “Lying to protect someone is just as bad as lying to deceive.” |
| 15. No True Scotsman | Changes the definition of a group to exclude counterexamples. | “No real artist would use digital tools.” |
| 16. Genetic Fallacy | Judges something as good or bad based on its origin. | “That idea came from a failed politician, so it must be worthless.” |
| 17. Moral Equivalence | Compares minor misdeeds with major atrocities. | “Speeding is just as bad as drunk driving.” |
| 18. Appeal to Nature | Assumes something is good because it’s natural. | “It’s a natural herb, so it can’t harm you.” |
| 19. Composition Fallacy | Assumes what’s true for a part is true for the whole. | “Every part of the machine is light, so the whole machine is light.” |
| 20. Division Fallacy | Assumes what’s true for the whole is true for the parts. | “The company is rich, so every employee must be rich.” |
| 21. Anecdotal Fallacy | Uses personal experiences instead of sound evidence. | “My grandfather smoked daily and lived to 90, so smoking isn’t harmful.” |
| 22. Appeal to Consequences | Argues that something must be true or false based on the consequences. | “There must be life after death—otherwise, life is meaningless.” |
| 23. Middle Ground Fallacy | Assumes the compromise between two extremes must be correct. | “One side says vaccines work, the other says they don’t, so maybe they half-work.” |
| 24. Burden of Proof Fallacy | Shifts the responsibility to disprove instead of proving a claim. | “Prove that ghosts aren’t real.” |
| 25. Personal Incredulity | Disbelieves something because it seems too complex or unfamiliar. | “I can’t understand how evolution works, so it must be false.” |
| 26. Ambiguity Fallacy | Uses vague or double meanings to mislead or confuse. | “I have a right to watch TV, so watching TV is the right thing to do.” |
| 27. Loaded Question | Asks a question with an embedded assumption, trapping the respondent. | “Have you stopped lying to your customers?” |
| 28. Appeal to Tradition | Claims something is right or better because it’s always been done that way. | “We’ve always celebrated this holiday, so it must be important.” |
| 29. Appeal to Novelty | Assumes something is better because it’s new or modern. | “This is the newest app—it must be the best solution.” |
| 30. Gambler’s Fallacy | Believes future probabilities are altered by past events in independent systems. | “I’ve lost five coin flips in a row—next one must be heads!” |
| 31. Appeal to Hypocrisy (Tu Quoque) | Diverts by pointing out the opponent’s failure to follow their own advice. | “You say I should recycle, but I saw you throw away a can yesterday!” |
Advanced Logical Fallacies Detection Tactics
As explored in our encryption protocols post, flawed logic creates systemic vulnerabilities. Watch for:
- Weasel words (“studies show…”) without citations
- False binaries in policy debates
- Appeals to emotion overriding data in ads
Tools for Rational Discourse
Pair this with our Critical Thinking Framework to:
- Deconstruct political rhetoric
- Audit AI decision trees
- Strengthen research methodologies
Conclusion: Beyond Bingo With Logical Fallacies
While identifying fallacies is crucial, true critical thinking requires understanding why they persist. As we examined in AI personality systems, even machines replicate human reasoning flaws. Here is a much longer list. Stay vigilant.