In any debate or discussion, it’s important to be able to accurately represent and understand the arguments of the other side. However, sometimes people engage in a fallacious form of argumentation known as the “Strawman” fallacy. This involves misrepresenting or oversimplifying someone’s argument in order to make it easier to attack or dismiss. In this…
Category: Relevance Fallacies
Relevance fallacies are informal fallacies that use a piece of evidence or an example that is not relevant to the argument that is to be demonstrated to be true.
Tone Policing
In any conversation or debate, it’s important to focus on the content of what is being said, rather than how it is being said. However, there are times when people can get caught up in the delivery of a message, rather than the actual message itself. This is where the fallacy of “Tone Policing” can…
Appeal to Motive
In the realm of critical thinking, a fallacy is an error in reasoning that can undermine the validity of an argument or belief. Fallacies can take many forms, and it’s important to be able to identify them in order to make informed and rational decisions. One common fallacy is the “Appeal to Motive”, which assumes…
Cherry Picking
Cherry picking is a commonly used fallacy to win arguments or discussions. When cherry picking, usually there are many arguments both in favour or against a position, but the dismisses all arguments sake for one that is most useful to support the side of the argument that the subject favours. It is an argumentative ‘tunnel…
Appeal to Wealth (Argumentum Ad Crumenam)
Accepting an argument to be true because the person who makes it is wealthy. Also known as argumentum ad crumenam or an argument to the purse. The fallacy got its name because of the introduction of financial status in an argument. “Crumenam” is Latin for wallet. The appeal to wealth is an informal, red herring…
Appeal To Nature
A fallacious argument that states something to be good because it is natural. The appeal to nature considers something natural to be superior to something unnatural. Commonly mistaken for the naturalistic fallacy though not the same fallacy. This is an informal fallacy, that is, its problem is not to be found in the logical structure…
The Courtier’s Reply Fallacy
Courtier’s reply is a response to an argument by rejecting the authority of the person that makes the argument. The opponent’s experience, knowledge, and relevance in the field is denied by the person that commits this fallacy. Most often it occurs when one is criticized and without a proper defense, the courtier’s reply is used….
Appeal To Flattery
An appeal to flattery is a fallacious argument that uses compliments (flattery) to win over the audience. A red herring variant that disregards proof and shifts the argument with irrelevant statements. This fallacy doesn’t occur when someone states something to be true or trying to prove something. It occurs when the speaker wants to convince…
Appeal To False Authority
When we reach a point in an argument where we have no expertise, we call upon an authority. If that authority isn’t really an authority, the argument becomes fallacious. This fallacy is called appeal to authority or argumentum ad verecundiam. What does “authority that isn’t really an authority mean? Well, look at it this way….
Chronological Snobbery
As a form of appeal to novelty, chronological snobbery considers modern ideas superior to those from earlier ages. This fallacy specifically targets ideas from art, culture, science, philosophy. Example 1: “Traditional art is nothing compared to modern art. The techniques and rules of the past are forgotten, that’s why modern art is superior.” The speaker…