What are fallacies? Many people think they’re the same thing as logical errors, but the two terms aren’t the same at all. A fallacy is actually an error of reasoning that isn’t necessarily related to the facts or the premises in an argument. In fact, fallacies don’t deal with the truth or how false an argument is, but rather how valid it really is. This means that you can use fallacies to make both valid and invalid arguments.
Types of Logical Fallacies
There are many types of logical fallacies. They are all different, and they’re not always obvious. Sometimes, the fallacy is very subtle, and it may not even be a formal fallacy at all. However, if you know what to look for, you can find the fallacy in any argument essay or argument writing that you come across.
Straw Man
What is a straw man fallacy? A straw man argument, also known as the argument from false analogy or argumentum ad hominem, is a logical fallacy that occurs when someone presents another person’s argument in a twisted or exaggerated way. It’s one of the most common types of fallacies and it’s often difficult to recognize. A person making this type of argument may distort their opponent’s words, or misinterpret what they say, then proceed to refute these points. The intent is typically to make the opponent look bad by attacking the distorted version of their argument rather than addressing the real point. One technique for avoiding a straw man argument would be to make sure you understand your opponent’s actual position before you try to argue against it.
Slippery Slope
What is a slippery slope fallacy ? It’s when someone jumps from one event or example to the other without any kind of logical connection. It can be dangerous because it is all too easy for people, who are eager to make their point and ignore any other evidence, can mislead readers into thinking that there is more evidence than there really is. In argument essay writing, it’s not always clear what fallacies are at first glance but they can be identified by asking: Is there anything that connects these two statements together? Are they both making the same point? The slippery slope fallacy occurs when someone jumps from one statement to another without any kind of logical connection between them. Sometimes, it’s difficult to tell if something is a slippery slope fallacy right away so ask yourself is there anything connecting these two statements? If not, then it’s probably just a word salad or an ad hominem attack.
Ad Hominem
What is an ad hominem fallacy ? An ad hominem fallacy is when someone attacks the person instead of their argument. They may bring up irrelevant information about that person, or belittle that person in order to discredit what they are saying. For example, someone might say that person A doesn’t know anything about argument writing because they were a graduate student who got straight A’s. It would be fallacious because it does not relate to the argument at hand and does not address what the other person said. When you attack the person you are attacking their character and not what they have argued for. When debating people often try to attack each other by bringing up unrelated points about each other which causes more arguments than actual rebuttals.
False Cause
What is a false cause fallacy? It’s when someone assumes that one event causes another without any real evidence. For example, some people believe that children should not have sugar because it will lead to cavities and tooth decay. It might be true that cavities happen more often with sugar-intake than without, but it might also be true that cavities happen more often with children who brush their teeth less or who eat sugary foods other than just sugar. The correlation doesn’t prove the connection! There are many factors at play and we can’t assume that just because two events occur together, one caused the other. Another common false cause fallacy is assuming that rain has something to do with why you’re having so much trouble sleeping. That’s probably not why you’re not getting enough sleep at night.
Begging the Question
What is a begging the question fallacy? When someone assumes that the conclusion is true without any evidence, or when they claim that their conclusion is true because it has always been assumed as such. For example, the Bible is infallible and we know this because it says so.
In order for you to come up with your own argument, ask yourself these questions:
1) Do you have any evidence for your statement? 2) Does what you say follow logically from what you already said? 3) Could it be possible that there is another reason why people believe something? 4) Is there some other way of interpreting what you say?
Red Herring
What is a red herring fallacy ? A red herring fallacy occurs when someone distracts the opponent by bringing up a subject which has nothing to do with the argument. A red herring would be something like, Look at that deer over there. The other person may respond, Where? The first person will say, I said there was a deer over there. Then the second person might respond, You’re right, I can’t see it now. In this case the second person got distracted and forgot what they were originally talking about.
Conclusion
Fallacies can be used in arguments for many reasons, but the most common is to win an argument. It’s important not only to know that they exist, but also how to spot them in your own work and when someone else is using a fallacy against you.
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