Logical Fallacies Flashcards

"Legalizing marijuana will lead to widespread drug addiction and eventually the collapse of society." Which fallacy does this commit?

Answer: Slippery slope

Slippery slope assumes that one event will inevitably lead to extreme consequences without sufficient justification.

"We've always held graduation ceremonies in person; there's no reason to change that now." This exemplifies:

Answer: Appeal to tradition

Appeal to tradition assumes something is correct or better simply because it has been done that way historically.

During a debate, a candidate starts discussing the opponent's tax returns when asked about healthcare policy. This is a:

Answer: Red herring

A red herring introduces an irrelevant topic to divert attention from the original issue.

"The word 'bank' can mean a financial institution or a riverbank. Since banks hold deposits, rivers must hold deposits too." This illustrates:

Answer: Equivocation

Equivocation uses a word with multiple meanings in different ways within the same argument to create a misleading conclusion.

A study of 15 college students concludes that 'young Americans prefer online learning over in-person classes.' What fallacy is present?

Answer: Hasty generalization

Hasty generalization draws a broad conclusion from an unrepresentative or too-small sample.

"Organic food is better because it's natural, and natural things are always healthier." This is an example of:

Answer: Appeal to nature

Appeal to nature assumes something is good or correct because it is natural, ignoring that natural does not always mean beneficial.

"God exists because the Bible says so, and the Bible is true because it is the word of God." This is classified as:

Answer: Circular reasoning

Circular reasoning (begging the question) uses the conclusion as a premise in the argument, offering no independent support.