Community Archive
Read-only archive of legacy discussion threads from the original site.
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 ...
False equivalence?
Is listening to sensual or sexually explicit lyrics the same as watching something sexually explicit?
Appeal to possibility definition
I'm reading the definition of appeal to possibility where it says "When a conclusion is assumed not because it is probably true or it has not been demonstrated to be impossible , but because it is possible that it is true" Isn't it "not bein...
"Middle Ground/Golden Means"
I believe I have just been majorly slapped in the face with the "middle ground" fallacy. Youtube is launching a series of videos called Creators for Change. I went to see what all the hubbub was about when I found two certain videos that go...
Because climate change is not natural, must it therefore be bad?
Because climate change is not natural, must it therefore be bad? I would argue that climate change IS natural. Climate change being a "bad" thing is a relative and related but different question. Scientists tell us that our extremely limited geologi...
"This is our flag."
In terms of design (and sometimes symbolism), most U.S. state flags stink. People have been trying to have their respective state flags improved or replaced for decades, but they are almost always shot down. One argument legislators sometimes use i...
Group Generalisations and Standards
Another identity politics question. Sorry, and I know these are flamebait, but...I see this commonly used as a justification for treating members of groups differently. It starts with some vague generalisation of said group (e.g. their motives), and...
The world's person
The world's oldest person keeps dying over and over again. I am getting suspicious that this person ever died to begin with. I argue the world's oldest person never dies. What is wrong with that argument?
Is it an absolute truth and we can not know absolute truths?
This rhetorical question or some variation is common response a receive in a debate to sort of increase the fog index and divert form the debate at hand. What is the name for this fallacy?
Perceptions of risk in human activities
We know that there are more automobile accidents yearly than aviation accidents. We also know that one is more likely to be involved in a car crash than a plane crash. Yet, people fear being involved in a plane crash more. Surely, this is irrationa...
Any Fallacies in this argument?
I have recently just written an argument on a debate forum and it got voted as having a fallacy by someone. However, this particular person has voted almost all of my arguments as fallacies anyway as well other people he has disagreed with, and so I...
Does a pattern constitute evidence, logic or both?
Before they unraveled the secrets of DNA, scientists used a variety of patterns to help them classify living things. These patterns included similarities in appearance and behavior, similar range, and relationships reconstructed from the fossil recor...
A proposal about the creator
I answered this question that appeared on Quora https://www.quora.com/Do-you-believe-in-a-creator-Not-necessarily-the-same-thing-as-the-Christian-God-or-other-religions-equivalent-but-more-like-a-conscious-being-that-creates-the-laws-of-physics Sin...
What's this fallacy? The proof will come...
Following the attack on the Capitol this week, a caller to CSPAN made an assertion that the MAGA hat wearing, Trump flag carrying "protesters" were actually Antifa in disguise. When asked what evidence there was for that, he said "You'll see, ...
What fallacy is this? Formal name?
I know this is a fallacy in logic---an informal one, I believe, since it can't be boiled down to an equation. I've been referring to it as the Lorax Fallacy but people don't understand when I mention it. It takes one of three forms: 1) "Member o...
Term chopping - Definist Fallacy?
Here's an argument strategy I've seen used often online. I think it would fit into the definist fallacy , but I wanted to open this up for discussion. What a person will do is, take a mult-word term that's relevant to the argument and that has a ...
Social construction
What do you say to someone who says everything is a social construction, meaning everything is made up by man and has no existence beyond our perception? Truth, Justice, Right, Wrong, Men, Women, even logical fallacies themselves. So i...
What is the argument of "I have the right, so I can"?
So I've seen this argument a lot, but I've forgotten the name of the fallacy. It goes like this: Person A: You can't do X, because it's wrong for Y reasons. Person B: Yes I can, because I have the right to do X. Pro-choice people use this kind of ...
Christian says hugging is a sin
Id like to know what logical fallacy(s) this is. "sin" is a relative term, so im sticking with logic when looking at this. A christian (radical) does not hug because it is "wrong" in their eyes. It is absurd, but its what they bel...
Iraq War fallacy validation
The Visegrad 24 Twitter account said this: Number of Christians in Iraq: 1991 - 1.7 mln 2003 - 1.4 mln 2008 - 700K 2015 - 400K 2024 - 150K Any protest marches in London? Then another user quote retweeted that there were plenty of pr...
How do I respond to presuppositionalist's claim that circular logic is not fallacious?
Because presuppositionalists say that since every worldview commits this fallacy. it leads to the absurd conclusion that every worldview is invalid.(I am applying the principle of charity here, which means that the argument they present is actually w...
Appeal to emotions
I've noticed in the personal training and fitness industry is that people who want to hire dietitians and personal trainers, do so under pressure. For example, How serious are you about reaching your goals 1 out of 10? If you are serious about makin...
Truth
Not a logical fallacy but I wondered if anyone had a name for this phenomenon of insight into the behaviour. On YouTube it has been pointed out that any channel which has the word Truth in it seems to feature videos with fringe beliefs, conspiracie...
Reading a book by Mark Levin (American Marxism) quote from book:
" planning to add Democratic seats to ensure control over that body (government); using tens of billions of taxpayer funds to subsidize and strengthen core parts of the Democratic Party base and facilitating massive illegal immigration, the purpose ...
Is this an example of Mistaking the map for the territory ?
P1. We need to end this war now we need peace. The problem in Ukraine is the U.S refusal to try to find a peaceful solution and can’t see it from everybody’s perspective ? P2. So what is your solution that all parties will accept ? &nbs...
This Seems Like a Fallacy
I have seen this argument on social media a lot when one side is failing to explain their position. Which fallacy would this be? Maybe more than one? “I am only responsible for what I say; not for what you understand.” Thank you!
when someone denies facts
Would it be a fallacy when someone denies facts like saying the holocaust never happen? Or maybe cognitive dissonance?
Mirror to Appeal to Definition?
I see the danger of making logical mistake when following dictionary as a final authority, but I see also a mirror fallacy possibility. Actually I have already noticed that in certain public discussions. Yes dictionaries (as any books) are always on...
Zero Sum
“It wasn’t great for everyone, therefore it wasn’t great at all.” “America wasn’t always great for everyone, therefore it was never great at all.” This seems fallacious to me, like some sort of zero s...
Fallacy of "all or nothing"
Does there exist a fallacy for when somebody claims that because something isn't 100% true is must necessarily be false? EX: "Vegetarians say they're acting humane by not eating animals but they still wear products made by them."
Existence does not Require Proof
Dr. Bo endorses the idea “one who claims existence exists must prove existence exists.” He does so in the graphic on this website at: https://www.logicallyfallacious.com/logicalfallacies/Proving-Non-Existence. I say he is wrong. H...
I have nothing to
"I have nothing to do debate you with, despite my refutation of my statement being a fallacy"
Is this a valid or fallacious argument, and why?
If dinosaurs died millions of years ago, then scientists wouldn’t find DNA in dinosaur fossils. Scientists found DNA in dinosaur fossils. Therefore, dinosaurs didn’t die millions of years ago. The argument form would resemble this (...
What's wrong with this logic?
Men can make hundreds of babies per year. Women can only make one. You're holding the wrong sex accountable.
Necessary Equivalence in a Controversial Debate
I've seen this argument come up quite a lot in political discourse. Effectively two sides engage in a similar form of behaviour, this is observed by the speaker, and a dissenting voice will object to the comparison by saying that the two cannot be c...
Did Dr. Bo Bennett Make This Common Fallacy When Advertising His Book?
So, when describing his book 'Logically Fallacious', Bo Bennett says the following: "This book is a crash course, meant to catapult you into a world where you start to see things how they really are, not how you think they are." Well isn't ...
"valid" and "sound"...a question of consensus
Getting into it deeper, I found wiki's article quite interesting and informative https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formal_fallacy , which I backed into by reading https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syllogism From the former: A valid argument has a correct fo...
False equivalence?
It's important to a pastor for people to be the best Christians they can be. Similarly, for a football coach for wanting the best players on his team and giving it their best effort. What is wrong with this comparison?
Is this an example of parodying circular reasoning, or it is an example of circular reasoning itself?
"I've got an expert, you've got an expert, everyone's got an expert, but we don't know what the criteria for an expert is, unless you ask an expert."
The Watchmaker Analogy?
Hi, I'm a more recent member of the boards and a recent reader of this book and site, so I obviously have lots of questions and queries. I'm working on a project involving fallacies and religion and I'm wondering if there is any fallacy hidden in the...
Is there a logical fallacy around "starting points"?
I was in my systems engineering night class the other night when in the midst of a discussion on systems acquisition, the subject came up of price quotes and how contractors come up with them. It struck me during the discussion that there is a psycho...
What logical fallacy is this?
Memory experts are quick to point out that memory is constructed and it changes over time. Curiously, those who cover memory researchers rarely, if ever, pause to ask whether professors describing their own research might reconstruct their “fi...
Everyday Irrationality: Conflation of Cause and Effect
If you've been paying attention to Twitter lately (a showcase for the Latest and Greatest in Failures of Human Cognition) you'll have noticed the claim that certain forms of speech can be considered "violence". Not just "violent", but a form of viol...
app that auto-detects fallacies
Please develop an app that auto-detects fallacies. You will save the world and make billions! Your No. 1 fan, David
Is this a fallacy of definition?
Transphobes consider 'cis' a slur because "There is only make and femake?" Is this appeal to what is supposedly "self-evident"?
Is this making a presumption
From [here](https://www.newsweek.com/right-wing-pundit-joe-rogan-show-fact-checked-air-about-trans-claims-1757863): "If you're calling yourself nonbinary, you have dehumanized yourself, because human beings exist in a sex binary: male and female,"...
Can there be a reverse of the No True Scotsman fallacy?
Hello, I've learned about the No True Scotsman fallacy from atheists, who, when pointing out an harmful action done by Christians receive responses from Christians who will say "Well, real Christians don't do that." After reading from this we...
Traitorous Critic Fallacy errata
In the Traitorous Critic Fallacy explanation of Example #1, the last sentence says "This example might also be seen as proof by intimidation." I think you meant "Appeal to Force" instead of "Proof by intimidation".
"10,000 people can't keep a secret!"
I can't remember the details of this discussion, but it went something like this: Mr. A claims that the government wanted to test the effects of an atomic explosion on soldiers, so 10,000 (it was probably closer to 1,000) soldiers were transported in...
I thought of a fallacy
I was thinking about atheists and theists and this kind of thing came up in my head. "If a theist says 'Oh my god' in exclamation and the existence of god is contrary to scientific knowledge, then therefore atheists should say, 'Oh my science' ". ...
Illegal weapons export
Sometimes governments that export illegally weapons to war fighting countries argument: if we don't do it, other countries will. Which kind of logically fallacy is this?
What logical fallacies when these three statments fall under?
I am trying to teach myself at understanding fallacies; however, it seems that the simplest of fallacies are becoming hard for me to identify. What fallacies would the below statements fall under and why? " You play Call of Duty a lot so you mus...
Prohibition by stealth.
I don't think is really a fallacy per se, but if someone argues to severely restrict the use of something of the grounds of safety, however there would be very little safety increase as a result, but it will become more difficult or counter-intuitiv...
black lives matter
ive seen and heard arguments like black lives matter movement doesn't mean anything until they address black on black crime, or, i cant support them until they say ALL black lives matter, bc they clearly don't to them. this to me is effectively an a...
If you haven't seen X, then any evidence you have against X can be dismissed.
Person 1: 2000 mules is true. Person 2: 2000 mules isn't valid due to evince x, y and z. Person 1: Have you watched it? Or is that what you have been told to think about it? Person 2: No. I did my own research on their evidence, I hav...
The "Chinese" Virus
There has been a lot of partisan rhetoric surrounding the naming of Covid-19. I have seen fallacious arguments being made from both sides of the political isle. What do you make of this argument? We see no problem with calling food that originates ...
Please help me identify the kind of informal fallacy committed
"Most people who buy lottery tickets won't win the lottery. Michael bought a lottery ticket. Therefore, Michael won't win the lottery." I think it may be the fallacy of accident, but I'm not sure. Could you guys please help? Many thanks!
I really want to know if the aphorism is fallacious as KEN claimed, I also want to know the names of all the fallacies committed by both(if any). Did KEN commit any fallacy by trying to debunk a universal truth?
I stumbled upon this argument which seems to contain some degree of flawed reasoning and I decided to share it with "fallacyophites" for enlightenment. BEN: Practice makes perfect. KEN: I don't understand, what do you mean? BEN: What I'm...
What fallacy is visible in this question?
Will they stop selling cigarettes due to the corona virus? was asked by a person on Quora. My partial answer was "Who's 'they'"? It's a commonplace form to ask about some anonymous "they", so we can understand what they really mean, but I argue it...
who has burden of proof when given some constraints and we're expected to make some reasonable assumptions
The exact problem I'm trying to solve is too technical to explain, so I'm trying to come up with a simpler example. This isn't a great one, but the best I can think of at the moment: for example: to apply for this programming job, you must h...
Fallacy of every act is cultural
Recently I am hearing a logic. I am going to explain it as much as I can. There is a cultural club alliance in our university. There are sports clubs, social clubs, debating clubs, id est, clubs those are not considered 'cultural' (singing, dancing e...
Is there a logical fallacy here? "The universe could be infinite in size".
(What follows is a philosophical, theoretical scenario.) Is any of it fallacious? Bill (B) : I think the universe could be infinite in size, and in all directions. Joe (J) : infinity is a mathematical concept, which cannot be actualised. There is ...
Guilt trip
After talking to a friend of mine about an incident at work involving me an employee in which the other coworker accused me of being racist after finding out who I voted for. I told him that hey aren't we still friends? My coworkers response...I don...
Is this a fallacy?
Some media folk (*cough* Fox News *cough*) are now starting to say things like: See, the predictions said that hundreds of thousands would die, but now they're saying only tens of thousands, so it WAS overblown panic like we said and all the lockd...
Spotting the difference between formal and informal fallacies
I know the theoretical difference between the two (error in logical form vs error in content/expression) but is there a hard-and-fast method for discerning between them?
Which kind of FALLACY does it fall under
Hi, Which kind of FALLACY does it fall under: 1- Cows eat grass 2- Humans eat cows Conclusion - Humans eat grass
History
What kind of fallacy is it whereby someone, in order to support the claims one is making, with very little evidence outside of just stories pulled from supposed memory, a quote by someone famous who knew the person, claiming that said person doesn't...
Point out the fallacies.
Person 1: Shares data in a graph on all countries growth in COVID-19 cases. The only 2 countries on the graph that have curbed their growth is China and South Korea. Person 2: You are so brainwashed. The fact that you are comparing those cou...
What fallacy informs the question I just heard on the radio, when the caller asked the host which other sitting president proclaimed fraud in his loss.
It was obvious to me he was not asking if the host knew an answer, but had developed a clever "gotcha" question. When the host turned the tables on the caller, the caller at first said he might be able to answer if he researched and then said ...
Covid-19 a bioweapon?
John: Covid-19 cannot be a bioweapon since it is not airborne. If a country will make a bioweapon, why not make the same as transmissible via air which makes it a more effective and dangerous weapon?
[Meta] How did you find Logically Fallacious?
I don't know if meta posts are allowed or not, but, title. How did you find the website? I first ran into Logically Fallacious in 2016, when I started learning about fallacies, logic and argumentation. At the time I was associated with the 'anti-fe...
Quick fallacy check?
I'm writing something about Violence and Video Games, and want to make sure some of my arguments are logically sound. I'm just going to put three examples: 1. You see, the same people who want more restrictions on who can buy video games, with even s...
Definition
What about this? You can’t define in the moment the concept you are trying to talk about. Therefore the concept doesn’t exist and you have no idea what you’re talking about. Person 1: Wokeness is destroying soci...
Is fallacious reasoning used to get an argument going?
In Quora, this question was newly posted.https://www.quora.com/unanswered/If-plastic-is-harmful-then-why-is-it-used-extensively-in-pakaging-food-products?__nsrc__=4 The easy answer is that plastic is not harmful (in the way implied by the question), ...
False Dichotomy + Tautology
"Either you're with us, or you're with the terrorists." Many leaders have said similar things throughout history. It's a classic example of a black-or-white fallacy, or false dichotomy. But imagine a situation where the person who says it is a ter...
so what? they all do that!
in a discussion about the many lies of donald trump, one fallacious arguement that always comes up is "all politicians lie", and i want to know which logical fallacy this most closely resembles
If a premise is demonstrably untrue, does it automatically beg the question?
First, I'll admit to using the phrase "begs the question" incorrectly in the past. Having just finished lesson #9, I wonder if it wouldn't always be appropriate to follow up a Begs the Question fallacy with, "That's not true because,&q...
Fallacy: Record snowfall debunks global warming
When media headlines announce a major unexpected snowfall, many people exclaim, "This proves the Earth is cooling, not warming up!" Their logic is simple: Snow requires cold weather, therefore, record snowfall must indicate record cold, not...
Worse off?
I'm sure this situation happens to everyone, but I was interested if it is flawed reasoning. My favorite kind of argument is when someone will mention that they are sad or depressed, and instead of comforting that person, everyone takes the conversat...
What kind of logical fallacy is this?
When someone change the meaning of the word what kind of logical fallacy is this? Example:.A:Lie means not according with truth or fact; incorrect. B:No Lie means It's hidden. A:Wait what?
Moralistic issues are appeals to consequents.
There is an appeal to consequents and the moralistic fallacy. The moralistic fallacy is essentially that if something is ought to be, it is to be a certain way (Z) where Z is a desirable or an undesirable thing. This is exactly the same as an appe...
Atheist on God
Is there a fallacy being committed when Richard Dawkins is using an argument wherein he’s comparing God, that being of course the God of the Bible, to a Flying Spaghetti Monster?
Is the so called by some Chesterton fence fallacy really a fallcy?
"In the matter of reforming things, as distinct from deforming them, there is one plain and simple principle; a principle which will probably be called a paradox. There exists in such a case a certain institution or law; let us say, for the sak...
Denial of a claim used as proof the claim is correct
I see this used more and more and while it used to be rejected out of hand as being absurd, it is now widely accepted. The best example I can give centers around critical race theory and the idea that all white people are racist. It usually goes li...
False Equivalency?
Would this be considered a False Equivalency? A) All martians have blue hair . B) Abraham Lincoln was a Martian and he had blue hair. C) B proves A .
Is this overextended outrage?
What fallacy is this guy making when he says : For the past few years, transactivists have largely been aiming their harassment, sexism, and death threats at (biological) women (sometimes hetero women, but especially lesbian women) but in the last...
Overcome the absurdity of statement "I am certain there is no certainty"
How do you overcome the absurdity of this statement "I am certain there is no certainty"? What form of logical fallacy is this?
First cause? someone or something
Does the uncaused thing be nessesary god? Or is it something else that is uncaused? Do we have to tell the uncaused thing god or tell something that is uncaused which is not beyond the universe
professor Kamiji argues that anytime the Ghanaian hip hop artiste, blae Sam, travels to his mother's village and returns, he starts exhibiting symtoms of insanity. we must conclude that visiting his mother's village is the cause of his insanity
professor Kamiji argues that anytime the Ghanaian hip hop artiste, blae Sam, travels to his mother's village and returns, he starts exhibiting symtoms of insanity. we must conclude that visiting his mother's village is the cause of his insanity
Weak Analogy?
1. Human body is more complex than a snowman. 2. Nature can't create snowman which is less complex than humans 3. Therefore nature can't create human and hence god exists.
"Title wave" of citations
I'm trying to figure out what to call this debate tactic. In some debates (particularly in informal textual fora, such as Facebook), I will see someone post a massive flood of citations, some relevant, some not, and then demand that their opponent be...
Is God of the gaps a fallacy?
As a Christian I believe God made the watch but I don't believe he moves the machinery. I do think if you believe God moves the machinery you won't look for explanations but Christians who believe God made the watch don't seem to be stuck by this. Do...
*Subjectively* Insufficient Cause?
This is may not have fallacies at all, but it's been bothering me for a bit. And yes, I really am that much of a sad bastard: sitting in the house all day, either touching myself or sleeping (and if I'm not sleeping, the only thing I'm probably thin...
Argument from incredulity and God.
Fallacy as used by believers in God: There is no evidence against God, therefore God. Fallacy as used by used by non believers in God: There is no evidence for God, therefore No God. God can be the loosely defined as the prime mover, inteligent agent...
"Pooh Pooh" Fallacy.
I looked at some of the fallacies at wikipedia and this one is called the , "pooh pooh" fallacy, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pooh-pooh#:~:text=A%20pooh%2Dpooh%20(also%20styled,the%20substance%20of%20the%20argument . It#s where an arguer labels an ...
Rufusing to acnowledge real human behaviour.
It might be great if we could just set a speed limit and expect it to work rather than basing speed limits on the speed most people drive at, but we know it doesn't. To me I'd conclude that there's no point setting them based on political pressure f...
DOES THIS SHOWS 'LOOK WHO'S TALKING' FALLCY?
His remarks throughout the day on Monday featured a scattered argument for why he has earned a second term. He made broad promises to restore the economy to previous heights and “save the American dream.” But what he mostly offered were grievan...
Everyone is "Just Insecure", "Just Jealous", or "just Overcompensating". Not sure what fallacy this is?
Hello everyone, thank you for reading my question, So I have a lot of pent-up frustration with this fallacy from hearing it over the years, but have never been able to name it, let alone construct a cogent argument against it. I am not sure it is &qu...
Is this question assuming that they aren't forcing gendered ideas onto their child?
From here : Of course, parents can’t possibly be aware of the true gender of their children. What do parents know about their children’s preferences in toys, clothes, cartoons, activities, and the like? Do children demand that their pa...
Fake news Russian style
Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested in December that Poland shared responsibility for WW2 because it conspired with nazi Germany in 1938 to divide Czechoslovakia. The European commission rejects Russias claims as false and an attempt to dist...
[Meta] Is anyone else seeing this?
I can see that there is a link to a question, but the box is blank, and it redirects to the Ask a Question page rather than going to that specific thread. Is this a bug or a real question that got spaghetti'd? And uh, does anyone else even see this...
What kind of fallacy would this be?
So my mind was racing today, and I made up this argument. Mother: No, I won’t let you drink energy drinks. There have been cases of people dying of heart problems after drinking them! Son: Well, you are more likely to get killed by your spouse than...
Existence v essence of god and comparison with AI
Some people think that an AI computer system can be programmed by people, and that if it has independent inputs of data, it will correct the biases of the programmer and become self-aware. The correlation/analogy logic proposed is Man : AI :: God :...
Which fallacy/fallacies is Thomas Jefferson using in Hamilton the musical?
Thomas Jefferson: "If New York's in debt / Why should Virginia bear it? Uh! Our debts are paid, I'm afraid / Don't tax the South, 'cause we got it made in the shade / In Virginia, we plant seeds in the ground / We create. You just wanna move our mon...
Logical Fallacy Fallacy
If you commit a logical fallacy, does that mean your argument is destroyed? Example: Bro 1: Dude you can't just say you like Stalin you f****g communist scum Bro 2: Ad hominem. Thanks
Accusing people of 'playing the racist card'.
Let's say, hypothetically, that a President says something overtly racist. His opponents, especially those who are part of the attacked group, call his comments racist. Then the President and his supporters make the following claim: "You guys ju...
When you need more time to prove even if you have been proven wrong again and again
1.When you ask for more time in order to prove your point right dispite of you have been proven wrong again and again. Sometimes you were always right and you have to wait and be wrong for a while, but sometimes you were always wrong but ask for more...
What can happen if one uses your arguments
Dear Dr. Bo, first of all please forgive me. I am a German which now tries for 45 years to get a grasp for the English language and has utterly failed so far. So if what I write does not make sense, please bear with me and just ask for explanation....
Argument about history
Person 1: This historical figure was gay. Person 2: This historical figure was not gay. Person 1: How do you know, he could have been, what reason do you have to think they weren't gay? Person 2: Because I have yet to see any su...
I didn't do X but if I did he deserved it.
Imagine this scenario. You woke up to discover that your tires were slashed and your disreputable neighbor says that he did not do it but if he did then you deserved it. This seems two faced. It does not seem like a fallacy b...
A thread I saw on FB with hidden fallacies.
Person 1: "How long do you think this lockdown is going to last?" Person 2: "Probably anywhere from the next two months to a year and a half. If we are good and social distance flattens the curve then maybe. If not we will have to wait till the vac...
People shouldn't break that law, but we'll make it stricter in the hope people only break it slightly.
There is a very common belief that if you set the speed limit very low people who drive genuinely fast only tend to drive 5 or 10mph over the posted limit. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that isn't true, but it's something I used to ass...
Apparently ad populum AND circular!
Here's one. In yet another pointless twitter exchange: @PhxApologetics, a user parrotting the work of Jason Lisle insists on the 'immaterial, universal, and invariant laws of logic' must exist in the 'atheistic worldview', because they exist in his. ...
Is this an ad hoc fallacy or a bunch of fallacies? Or is this a problem with using induction in the wrong context.
Person 1: Vaccines don't work and maybe make you sick. Person 2: Then why does the overwhelming scientific consensus think they do work and don't make us sick? Person 1: Well let me rephrase "maybe" they don't work. You can't tell the differ...
Is "no swans are black" a cleverly disguised double-negative?
Assume for the sake of this argument that all swans are white. One could then claim that no swans are black, or blue, or orange. Are these legitimate arguments in their own right, or are they simply clever ways to disguise the double-negative that no...
Is there a fallacy that exploits the need to feel needed?
I'm reading a book about mind control that talks about "seven hidden addictions" that were introduced by Blair Warden in his book The Forbidden Keys to Persuasion . I thought it would be interesting to see if I could match each of them with...
So was sent this video on the worth of education and diplomas it’s about 3 mins are there any logical fallacies in it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rsXDZycmbI https://youtu.be/_rsXDZycmbI NEELY FULLER JR- SCHOOL DIPLOMAS ARE WORTHLESS (CARTOON) carlitoway44
Which Fallacy is this and how to respond to person B?
Mike: You really seem bitter, who hurt you in the past that would cause you to be so hateful towards the opposite sex? Pete: Are you a psychiatrist or something? Mike A: No Pete: Then you have no idea what you're talking about do you?
Is this relying on an ambigious definition to define "sexuality"?
From here : IN response to me saying: So you conflate female power with being sexual. He responds: Yes I do conflate them because sexuality is part of person and they might express them self through their sexual...
Logical fallacy
If it wasn't a missile, a bomb, or mechanical failure,then all that's left is a meteorite. What is the logical fallacy in this
Fallacy or not?
Daniel: God exists Sam: Prove it Daniel: Can a copy create itself? Sam: No. Daniel: How can nature create itself? Daniel: natural things cant move beacause they need some agency to move therefore, god exists
Unfalsifiable Statements
Do unfalsifiable questions violate the Law of Excluded Middle? Is there a third option answer to an unfalsifiable question besides yes or no? Example: God exists, yes or no?
Does this qualify as the Nirvana fallacy / perfect solution fallacy?
I would appreciate any help you could provide with settling a disagreement as to whether or not the following statement qualifies as an example of the Nirvana fallacy: It's fine to allow avoidable bad things since unavoidable bad things happen all...
What Fallacies Is Painting A Group Because of Some Bad Apples?
Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau argued that the the trucker convoy protesting vaccination mandates needed to end their protests, and as part of his argument described them as right wing white supremists because a few racist symbols were seen a...
Is it a fallacy to logically draw a conclusion from a false premise?
If a person writes a premise that is demonstrably false, and then uses perfect logic (no fallacies) to draw a conclusion from that premise what is the best way to counter the reasoning? I would suppose it is to reword the premise to make it true. But...
Circular to say evidence is proof?
I have debated creationists about evolution and I have told them that there is a mountain of evidence in favor of evolution, but is this a circular argument? Perhaps it is circular to use the amount of evidence as evidence. It would be l...
You should've thought of that
When someone complains about the consequences of their actions, they often get told that they should've thought of that earlier. Is that a fallacy by any chance? Because I don't think it's reasonable to always expect someone to think of everything t...
Can inferiority complex be seen as an informal fallacy?
I've noticed people can even be in self-contradiction when "hating" others but at the same time want to affiliate with them so badly. For example X hates Y and brags about imaginary "superiority." But at the same time X tries to affiliate with Y be...
Asking extremely basic questions to win arguments - Name the bias or the fallacy at play
Recently I went to a product manager interview. They asked a few questions, for which I gave the answers. But eventually, one interviewer asked extremely trivial questions i.e. the first year of graduation questions - How does the wifi router work? H...
Ad hominem based on groups, demographics or characteristics: does it have a more specific name?
Quite commonly I see responses that are based on the person making the argument being part of a certain group or (often equivalently) having a certain trait (such as race, gender and many other). This is clearly a kind of ad hominem, but I was wond...
Can't put my finger on which fallacy this is
Jared Kushner defended his new Middle East peace plan on Fox News by pointing to just how long it is: "Past proposals have been 2 to 3 pages -- this is an over 80-page proposal with a map. Never been done before." Obviously that's completel...
Location Joke...You Had To Be There.
Okay, not really a joke but you did have to be there or so the reply claims. It goes something like this. I present a well-known, well understood experiment in a discussion on gravity. One that is taught in standard science text books, ...
Intent matters!
This is a discussion I have had multiple times this year, and I was wondering if anyone could make sense of it, or spot a fallacy. Person 1: The phrase "hate crime" doesn't make a lot of sense because it would mean additionally punishing pe...
What fallacy is this? Me: "Why do elephants paint their toenails red?" You: "Why?"
Me: "To hide in cherry trees." You: RRRR! Me: "Have you ever seen an elephant in a cherry tree?" You: "No." Me: "See? it works!" I've always wondered about this.
What kind of fallacy dismisses all conspiracy theory as bogus?
This is Wikipedia's definition of conspiracy theory : A conspiracy theory is an explanation of an event or situation that invokes an unwarranted conspiracy generally one involving an illegal or harmful act carried out by government or other powerful...
Ben and Jerry's Fallacy?
The owners of Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream are boycotting Israel over its treatment of Palestinians. In this video - Ben and Jerry: Hypocrites? - a woman suggests they're hypocrites because they aren't also boycotting Georgia and Texas, whe...
Logic is the best guide. If you are doubting whether you ought to be doing it, don't.
The Premier of Victoria, Daniel andrews said today in regards to restrictions on behaviour: "This is all driven by common sense. Logic is the best guide. If you are doubting whether you ought to be doing it, don't.' Does having doubts necessarily ...
Is this a fallacy? Who you are accusing always need a motive.
P1: X presents Y evidence. P2: Y evidence on the associated party doesn't have any motive. C: X is false because we don't know how it may benefit them. Example: the prosecution finds evidence of the fingerprints of the accused on the gun...
A question about the genetic fallacy
Hello! I was wondering if this applies to the genetic fallacy: 1) Group A is very virtuous and pious. 2) Therefore, what Group A says is true. Or is this another type of fallacy? Regards.
Sinhalese ancestry
Do Sinhalese have ancient ancestry to ancient eurpeen ?
"She dressed provocatively - i.e. she "asked for it"
A woman dons a bikini and visits a bar full of marines. She is sexually assaulted. Most people would agree she did something unwise, but they would also agree that her behavior didn't justify the crime. However, some people (mostly men) will inevitab...
Corona Virus was predicted?
https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/coronavirus-dean-koontz-eyes-of-darkness-conspiracy-wuhan-china-symptoms-a9364386.html?amp How is this possible? any explanation as to how the author possibly got some things right...
"Government is their God"
I saw this post on social media today and thought it would be interesting to see some logical analysis done on it. New York Governor Cuomo says that "The numbers are down, because we brought the numbers down, God did not do that, faith d...
The Broken AC Fallacy?
###posting on behalf of an anonymous user### Several years ago I purchased a new Volvo. From the outset the air conditioning would intermittently stop blowing cold air. There was no pattern or identifiable precipitating cause. The intervals between...
Tradition fallacy? Constitution
Please evaluate this argument (not my argument): "The Norwegian Church and the Christian and humanistic heritage have characterized Norway for more than a thousand years, and must be considered central to understanding the nation's values. Therefore...
Are Fallacies Subjective?
Hi guys, So I was explaining various fallacies to a friend and she made this statement: "Doesn't a fallacy depend on what you believe? The detention of a fallacy is flawed." She isn't a philosophy student and this was her first time learni...
Citing APA style
Dr Bo how do I cite your work apa style specifically, website citation understood, however do your daily excerpts/blogs etc contain page numbers, paragraph ind, etc.??
Fallacy?
1. Elephants are awesome. 2. Micheal is awesome. 3. Therefore, Micheal is an elephant
Does a person claiming God does not exist have the burden of proof?
I heard from a theist that when an atheist claims that God does not exist, he (atheist)has the burden of proof to prove that there is no God because he is making a claim. What can you say Sir?
Fallacies In the Daily News
We constantly see over-the-top arguments on the news from both sides of the political aisle. We saw this during the Trump years and now we see it with Biden. I think in studying logical fallacies it's important to call out these fallacies, so ...
Critically analyze the argument
Dr. Torvon, cheated National Health Insurance by exaggerating expenses, and Dr. Delle cheated by submitting fees for nonexistent patients. Dr. Owusu defrauded a dozen insurance companies by requiring unneeded lab tests. Therefore, all doctors cheat....
What is this fallacy?
Person B asks for very specific proof from the past, and when Person A cannot, B claims A is lying. Example: A: “You are a hypocrite.” B: “If you can’t name a specific time I have been hypocritical (and quote me), I am no...
what's the name of this fallacy?
for the sake of simplicity I will refer to the subject in question as to X and Y Person1: X and Y are the same Person2: No, X and Y aren't the same, if they were we would only have to use X or Y; basically only one would exist and not the other
Disputing what is considered to be fallacious
I have come across some arguments which are in favor of Natural Law, in which the reference to homosexuality being immoral is mentioned. I have also come across an objection to the Ad Hominem fallacy, one in particular stating that if a man (or woman...
Are these non-sequitur and circular reasoning?
Can you detect any non-sequitur or circular reasoning in the following arguments: "If objective evil exists, then there must be some objective lawgiver beyond individuals or groups. " If God does not exist, objective moral value...
Does this fallacy exist?
I tried searching Current Year fallacy but couldnt find anything. The current year is an argument I see a lot and suspected it that it was a fallacy. For example: It's the current year, why doesnt everyone have X "It's the 2018 why doesnt every...
One more proposal about a creator ("iT")
I've watched and read multiple arguments about "God" and have rarely found one that did not conflate the issue of existence with that of essence. It may be they are inextricably linked, but I think they are separable. In a previous proposed q...
Claiming all A cannot be B in one set because all A are not B in every set
Someone calls the geese in Anytown silly. I say they’ve called all birds in Anytown silly (knowing, but not stating, that all birds in Anytown are geese) They say that because in some places, all birds are not geese (i.e., birds ...
Appeal to Superstition?
As the election heats up along with the rhetoric, acrimony and partisan vitriol, I often hear this frequently parroted chant from the alt-Right (Breitbart) arch defenders of Trump: The more you elitists disparage, insult and condescend to the Trump e...
Citing yourself
Someone makes a claim and then links to their own website in support of their claim. I'm guessing this is just plain old circular reasoning. Anything else? Yes, I know it's hilarious, but I mean any other logical fallacy being used here?
What type of fallacy is this? (Featuring Bertrand Russell)
Someone on Quora asked the question: "Why was Bertrand Russell so critical of Nietzsche?". One of the responses especially stood out to me as it was written by a professor of law with a BA in philosophy. You would expect someone with thos...
What is this fallacy that person 2 made
Person 1: heroin is highly addictive therefore its bad for people Person 2: heroin isn't addictive because addiction was around before heroin
Difference between truth, fact, opinion and logic.
When you google this, this is what pops up. "Truth is an instance of quoting one or many of the facts while describing or discussing the subject. The difference between truth and fact is that fact is something that cannot be combated with reasoning,...
Further exception to appeal to tradition?
I think there could be an expansion of the exception to the appeal to tradition fallacy, namely that if something has worked fine so far and there's no compelling reason to change it or no indication that doing so would make any difference then that...
What Fallacy would this be?
(Insert Name), would you give the public an apology for lying about what you said?
What logical fallacy would this be?
person 1: God cannot *FORESEE* without *FOREORDAINING*." no scripture says that. Person 2: The Bible as a *WHOLE* [in toto!] says that!
What type of fallacy
I can't tell you how to vote, but if you value liberty, you should vote Republican, and if you value equality, you should vote Democrat.
Is this a strawman
I was arguing that a wall on the Southern US border is dumb and inefficient. The guy I was discussing it with said “tell that to Israel.” I told him that was irrelevant and a strawman. He posted the “I don’t think that word means what you thi...
If I Feel It Strongly, It Must Be True
Is there a specific name for concluding something is true because I feel it strongly? Is this a type of Confirmation Bias or does it have some other name? In today's Wall Street Journal , there's a column by Peggy Noonan in which she...
Logical Fallacy
what type of logical fallacy is this "Anyone who doesn’t like Miki is a moron"?
Are they an analogy or not
Victory is like gaining trust; hard to earn, but you also have to put some effort in. Victory is not also about winning; it's also about changing, as one cannot progress without change. Victory is not always about winning; it's also about how you are...
Corporate Philanthropy
Lots of powerful and corrupt individuals whitewash their image by professing to do good works. Even some of the most sensational criminals call themselves "philanthropists" (e.g. Michael "Junk Bond King" Milken.) Wikipedia describ...
A YouTube Video of a 2006 Talk, Entitled "Global Warming: Fallacies and Substantial Doubt"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=7&v=9ixT-_MYZgY In my first public presentation on my own choice of topics since my Ph.D. defense, I focused on elements of IPCC arguments for AGW, finding multiple fallacies. The presentation was befor...
Why is this even a fallacy?
Why is logic chopping aka splitting hairs a fallacy? If you are questioning something that someone has claimed isn't it rational to make questions? Am I the only one that is confused too? at what point is my questioning fallacious because the exam...
A contradiction in terms? Or failure to clearly state terms?
There is a certain style of argument that seems fallacious because its terms appear to be in contradiction. It involves denying that X is taking place, then going on to describe it in other terms (with the implication that this is a positive develop...
What's wrong with this logic?
95% of all crime is caused by the conditions of poverty. There is no such thing as reform without eliminating poverty, by including the entirety of our citizenry adequately.
fallacy detection please
Saturn has a stormy atmospheric hexagonal ring which can be made to look like a cube. Kaba in Mecca is a cube. Therefore kaba is the same as hexagonal ring. Is this a fallacy?
Loaded Question Fallacy or valid questioning?
Following a recent Interview with BBC Journalist Andrew Neil and US commentator Ben Shapiro which has gone viral and can be seen YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VixqvOcK8E&lc=z235gvfz3zythp31gacdp432ohweblf3y3dhmomwwftw03c010c.155777897...
What Fallacy involves asking a question with an unrelated presumption
1. The Moon landing was Fake 2. How do you know that? 1. Does the Government Hide things from us? Has the Government lied before? 2. Yeah but is that actually evidence? 1. You don't think it was totally possible they might of just shot it on a f...
Fallacy?
People at ancient time saw sun and moon orbiting in a round path, therefore they knew that earth is round because it can only happen when earth is round
"Why We Build The Wall" lyrics and fallacies.
Here are the core lyrics to the song, "Why We Build The Wall." The song is in reference to Trumps wall. I am wondering what kind of logical fallacies might be in these core lyrics? "Why do we build the wall? We build the wall to keep us free, th...
Responding a question with another question
In a group of logical fallacies I started this new post to engage with the community in some healty conversations with arguments around any topic. I then asked the question: " Why aren't you vegan ?" I now realize that I supposed mayb...
Subjectivist fallacy or just mere opinion?
Someone is trying to tell me that the following quote from Stephen Hawking is a subjectivist fallacy but I don't see any fallacies; all I see is just a mere opinion. I think Donald Trump is a demagogue, who seems to appeal to the lowest common denom...
What fallacy is this that person 1 made
Person 1: how does God show himself to people who don't know he exist Person 2: the same way he showed to Adam and Eve Person 1: Adam and eve aren't real therefore you're wrong
What’s the fallacy in this argument?
When I was a little girl my grandpa took my out shooting in his backyard. I used to hit food cans with BB guns. He was obviously the person Barrack Obama had in mind when he famously and derisively mocked gun owners and other rural people as clinger...
Fallacies
Person 1: women should be in charge because men have had it too good for too long. Person 2: If you knew anything about human history you’d know that’s not true, sure while perhaps there may have been relatively more privileges for...
If someone only responds to the weakest points of an argument but doesn’t respond to the argument as a whole, is that still a strawman or does it have a different name?
I’m asking because I know a strawman is meant to misrepresent the argument but here the argument isn’t really misrepresented, it’s just avoided all together.
What's wrong with this logic?
THE AVERAGE MAN TODAY. 1. No masculinity. 2. No skills. 3. No confidence. 4. No financial literacy 5. No discpline. 6. No purpose. 7. No emotional intelligence. 8. No meaningful pursuit. 9. No workout...