Logical Fallacies, Clearly Explained
A modern rebuild of Logically Fallacious focused on the book, the fallacy library, and a read-only archive of the community discussions that grew around it for more than a decade.
Featured Fallacies
See all →Retrogressive Causation
Invoking the cause to eliminate the effect, or calling on the source to relieve the effect of the source.
Argument from Age
The misconception that previous generations had superior wisdom to modern man, thus conclusions that rely on this wisdom are seen accepted as true or more true than they actually are.
False Conversion
The formal fallacy where the subject and the predicate terms of the proposition are switched (conversion) in the conclusion, in a proposition that uses “all” in its premise (type “A” forms), or “some/not” (type “O” forms).
Appeal to Pity
The attempt to distract from the truth of the conclusion by the use of pity.
Nutpicking Fallacy
When someone presents an atypical or weak member of a group as if they are a typical or strong representative.
Magical Thinking
Making causal connections or correlations between two events not based on logic or evidence, but primarily based on superstition. Magical thinking often causes one to experience irrational fear of performing certain acts or having certain thoughts because they assume a correlation with their acts and threatening calamities.
Appeal to Equality
An assertion is deemed true or false based on an assumed pretense of equality, where what exactly is "equal" is not made clear, and not supported by the argument.
Argument from Fallacy
Concluding that the truth value of an argument is false based on the fact that the argument contains a fallacy.
Hypnotic Bait and Switch
Stating several uncontroversially true statements in succession, followed by a claim that the arguer wants the audience to accept as true. This is a propaganda technique, but also a fallacy when the audience lends more credibility to the last claim because it was preceded by true statements. The negative can also be used in the same way.
Quantifier-Shift Fallacy
A fallacy of reversing the order of two quantifiers.
Appeal to Emotion
This is the general category of many fallacies that use emotion in place of reason in order to attempt to win the argument. It is a type of manipulation used in place of valid logic.
Reductio ad Hitlerum
The attempt to make an argument analogous with Hitler or the Nazi party. Hitler is probably the most universally despised figure in history, so any connection to Hitler, or his beliefs, can (erroneously) cause others to view the argument in a similar light. However, this fallacy is becoming more well known as is the fact that it is most often a desperate attempt to render the truth claim of the argument invalid out of lack of a good counter argument.
Historical Archive
This is a static archive only — preserved for reference and SEO value. No new posting or interaction.
Taste Pleasure
What would be the best description for the fallacy that attempts to justify killing animals for the sake of taste pleasure? All I'm ever able to muster up in response to this sort of reasoning is something along the lines of "Those two ideas just a...
Is there such thing as a sexist fallacy?
A teacher tells the classroom before a test that boys are better at math than girls are. The girls will most likely second-guess themselves and do poorly on the test.
Is their a fallacy for when someone tries to change their story.
Is their a fallacy for when someone tries to change their story. Person A: Does not mean all people will do X. Person B: come on really, use commonsense. I'm a realist , don't think some wouldn't do what I commented... Person A: the key w...
Counter-argument that doesn't address argument?
What logical fallacy is being committed when a counter-argument doesn't address the original argument? For example: Alice: All primary colors are colors. Blue is a primary color. Therefore, blue is a color. Bob: But some frogs are green!
New Sub-Category of the Ad-Hominem Fallacy: Appeal to the Unqualified Person
Appeal to the Unqualified Person : A logical fallacy where [opposite to the Appeal to Authority fallacy]- instead of accepting an argument because it comes from “authority”, in this fallacy, the argument is rejected [refused to be heard ...
A better Place
Reflecting on the heartbreaking death of a child, Mr. X remarked that "the child is in a better place," despite the child's experience of profound suffering. At the same time, Mr. X asserts that human life begins at conception and expresses strong o...
What do we mean by natural (When applied to the gay-debate)?
It is oftentimes argued that homosexuality is not right because it is "against nature". What does this actually mean? 1. On the other hand we can see homosexuality among animals (is it natural?) 2. On the other hand humanbeings have (biolog...
Affirming the consequent, evidence and probability
I just came to realize that most of my day to day conclusions are actually the result of affirming the consequent! For example, “If my family ate dinner, then the dishes in the sink would be dirty. The dishes in the sink are dirty, therefore ...