Recognizing Logical Fallacies Logical fallacies are common mistakes in thinking that may lead to wrong conclusions or distort evidence. Here are a few familiar logical fallacies. Term Explanation Example Non Sequitur Stating a claim that Jenn should doesn’t follow from marry Mateo. In your first premise or college he got all statement; Latin for A’s. does not follow” “It Oversimplification Offering easy If we want to end solutions for substance abuse, complicated problems let’s send every drug user to prison for life. (Even aspirin users?) Assuming a After Jenny’s Post Hoc Ergo relationship black cat crossed Propter Hoc where none exists, my path, even though one event everything went preceded another; wrong, and I Latin for this, failed my “after therefore because of midterm. this” Allness Stating or implying Students enjoy that something is true studying. (All of an entire class of students? All things, often subjects? All the using time?) all, everyone, no or one,always, never Proof by Example Presenting an example Armenians are or Too Few as proof rather than as chefs. My Examples illustration or neighbor is clarification; Armenian, and overgeneralizing (the can he cook! basis of much prejudice) Begging the Proving a statement Rapists are Question already taken for dangerous granted, often by because they are repeating it in menaces. different words or by
Recognizing Logical Fallacies Logical fallacies are common mistakes in thinking that may lead to wrong conclusions or distort evidence. Here are a few familiar logical fallacies. Term Explanation Example Non Sequitur Stating a claim that doesn’t follow from your first premise or statement; Latin for “It does not follow” Jenn should marry Mateo. In college he got all A’s. Oversimplification Offering easy solutions for complicated problems If we want to end substance abuse, let’s send every drug user to prison for life. (Even aspirin users?) Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc Assuming a relationship where none exists, even though one event preceded another; Latin for “after this, therefore because of this” After Jenny’s black cat crossed my path, everything went wrong, and I failed my midterm. Allness Stating or implying that something is true of an entire class of things, often using all, everyone, no one,always, or never Students enjoy studying. (All students? All subjects? All the time?) Proof by Example or Too Few Examples Presenting an example as proof rather than as illustration or clarification; overgeneralizing (the basis of much prejudice) Armenians are chefs. My neighbor is Armenian, and can he cook! Begging the Question Proving a statement already taken for granted, often by repeating it in different words or by Rapists are dangerous because they are menaces.
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