Examples of Fallacies

Different Types of Fallacies

Fallacy Project

Alyssa Reaves

25th of September 2024

HUM-115-A8OL1

Index

1.

Title page

2.

Introduction: What is a Fallacy?

3.

Hasty Generalization

4.

Contradiction

5.

Loaded Question

6.

Slippery Slope

7.

Appeal to Fear

8.

Appeal to Pity

9.

Red Herring

10.

Straw Man

11.

Circular Reasoning

12.

Questionable Cause

1. Introduction

What is a Fallacy?

A fallacy is an incorrect or inconsistent argument that cannot be backed up. We commonly see fallacies in debate speeches on television.

Let's look at a few different types of fallacies!

This specific fallacy can be very misleading. You are making an assumption from, essentially, your first encounter or after only hearing part of a story and running along with it. Like in the example, the class could turn out to be very challenging and the statement you made would be wrong. This is a common way that false information spreads through the media. It is a speculation that has no other evidence, just the initial claim. This is a common fallacy that we see in the news.

A hasty generalization fallacy is making an assumption on only a small bit of information or evidence, which is typically a false assumption. For example let's use the metaphor "tip of the iceberg", let's say someone sees an iceberg. They say that it's a small iceberg because they can only see the top of it, when in reality if they look beneath the surface they would realize that is it actually quite large.

2. Hasty Generalization

Hasty Generalization

A real-life example of this fallacy could be if you started a class and you meet your teacher. On that first day, you say that you have an amazing teacher and the class will be easy after the teacher tells you about the class. Though, you have only attended the class for one day.

Let's Analyze

A real-life scenario could be: You have taken a test and you did not make a good grade like you wanted. After class, you talk to your teacher and ask why you received such a low grade. You studied all week for the test. You tell the teacher that the grade is unacceptable and you should have made higher. The teacher tells you that you were on the right track by studying, but you did not follow directions on the test and you answered the question in the incorrect way. You take another look at the test and realize your mistake.

3. Contradictions

Contradiction

A contradiction fallacy is a statement that is made, but ends up contradicting itself. These statements are never true because the statement cannot support itself, nor can it support anything related.

A contradictory fallacy tends to be humbling. You may believe you are right or on the right track of the argument you are trying to get across but without any evidence, it simply just stays an untrue statement. A contradictory fallacy is what gets many politicians in trouble. They may promise something but in the end they never keep their word because they don't know how to go through with it. They may have no reason to do it because it has no significance to their state or country.

Scenario

A loaded question fallacy tends to be difficult to answer because first you have to figure out how you are gonna start your answer. Then, how you are going to explain different aspects of the questioning without misleading or giving any misinformation. A good way to think of this is, it's like the "glass half empty or glass half full" question. You have to explain that the answer could depend on whether you are filling the glass or emptying the glass.

A real-life example of this fallacy that I get often is "What are you going to school for?". I typically tell people that I am planning to join the nursing program and they ask what I am doing in the meantime. I tell them that I have to take classes before I can apply and that I am currently working as a CNA. Many people get confused when I tell them I am already working a nursing job but am also going to school for a higher position in nursing.

A loaded question fallacy is a question asked that can be very difficult to answer because it can have multiple aspects to it that need answering. This is a tricky fallacy because it could easily be misinterpreted if the person does not explain it thoroughly or in the right way.

4. Loaded Question

Loaded Question

https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/election/presidential-election/article290975865.html

Slippery slope fallacies are commonly seen in the U.S presidential election, as well as other elections. These types of fallacies are what the candidates use against each other and what us citizens use to make our decision when voting. We follow these fallacies seen in the media to make our decision based on the better candidate, which one will have less repercussions, and which one will benefit us the most. Just because we use these fallacies to make our decisions, it doesn't mean that they are always true. Remember, that is why it is called a fallacy.

A real-life example of this could be the 2024 presidential election. Many believe if Kamala Harris gets elected into office, inflation will become worse and prices will increase even more on groceries and gas. Inflation has many negative effects on U.S citizens. They are the ones that have to deal with the consequences of paying for these items.

A slippery slope fallacy is an assumption that is made if a decision is presented, that bad events or bad things will follow. More specifically if someone is out in a position, it will cause more harm than good.

5. Slippery Slope

Slippery Slope

The appeal to fear approach is a common fallacy that is used in many cases. For example, a presidential candidate could tell you that if you vote for the oppponent, a war could start because of how they plan to run things. Another more common example could be a teacher telling students that if they don't study for the class they are sure to fail. It may be possible to pass the class without studying but it would result in a lower grade compared to if they had studied.

6. Appeal to Fear

Appeal to Fear

An appeal to fear fallacy pretty much explains itself. A statement is made that tries to scare or frighten someone into beliveing something for the other persons benefit. Whether it is or is not true.

The appeal to fear tactic is manipulating. It can cause you to fear the worst or some of the worst possible outcomes that could follow someones decision. Typically they are gonna choose the option that has the least frightening consequences. Though, it is an assumption of what could come and is not always true, it is memorable. It could convince someone to go the other way when they are presented with a scenario that appeals to fear.

mishap wouldn't have been a problem. We tend to see this fallacy a lot and may even tend to use it oursleves.

A real-life example of this could be: What if you had been late to work 5 days of the month because you overslept or got stuck in traffic because you left too late. You are called to your bosses office and they tell you if you are late again due to your own faults, they will have to let you go. The next week you get up on time but you find that your car won't crank. You try everything to get your car working. You call your boss to tell them that you will be late. They tell you that you were warned and they are going to have to let you go because you were late again. You beg your boss to not fire you because this was an issue that was out of your control.

Scenario

6. Appeal to Pity

Appeal to Pity

The appeal to pity fallacy is similar to appeal of fear. Essentially it is used to guilt someone in order to convince them of something.

Analyze

Similar to the appeal to fear fallacy, the appeal to pity fallacy is also a manipulation tactic. Someone may want sympathy from someone else so they can get their way. In the example that I have given, the person was late to work on their own faults and they were warned. The one time a problem occurs that is out of their hands they look for pity from their boss because they don't want to lose their job. If they had been more responsible and improved the reason that was causing them to be late before, the one

The red herring fallacy results in trying your best to avoid a real answer to a question you are asked. This could be because you don't want someone to know the real answer or there could be a case where you simply just don't know an answer. You try to distract the original question with other information that is related. You can see this happening during a presedential debate when a candidate is asked. what their plan is for a specific issue

A real-life example of this could be: Someone asks you how you are doing in school and you are embarrassed to tell them the truth. The truth isn that you aren't doing too well in your classes. You answer by saying you are liking school and you are excited for what the future brings. You also discuss with them what pathway or career you are going for and then you split way without ever really answering their initial question.

7. Red Herring

Red Herring

The red herring fallacy is when someone tries to redirect from the original issue. It is done by avoiding the initial issue or question and covering it with another topic. This could be used if you don't want to answer the question or if you don't have an answer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQgE0ETV81s

A real-life example of this is the 2024 presidential election between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. I have attached a video, later in the video the two begin discussing abortion rights. Throughout the whole debate of abortion bans they go back and forth towards each other about abortion ban rights. They both use each other's past words against then and Kamala seems to exaggerate some of Trump's claims and he denies them. You can see how easily each of their words are twisted and used against the other making them both look bad when they are confronted.

3. Straw Man

Straw Man

The straw man fallacy is when someone's words are twisted to be exaggerated. This can make someone look bad or guilty because the other person chose to use the other person's own words against them.

Let's Analyze

For this fallacy I have given an example of the 2024 U.S election. This is a very common fallacy that you see thoughout this election and even past elections. This is the way they market to gaing votes. They gain voted by using their opponents' words against them. This is what we as U.S citizens have to look out for when deciding. We may see a commercial where one of the candidates is using their opponents quotes in the ad. If we don't research the truth and find evidence ourselves, we could be mislead and believe that what the other person is doing is bad because we only heard the bad parts of something they have said.

A real life example of this could be: Someone is in a resturaunt and they accidentally tip over their glass over. They say that it wasn't their fault the glass tipped over, it was because it was a heavy glass. The glass tipping over was the person's fault and had nothing to do with the weight of the glass.

6. Questionable Cause

Questionable Cause

A questionable cause fallacy is when someone says that an issue happens because of another issue, but it is false. The issues have no way of relating to the other which causes it to be an untrue statement or argument.

Let's Analyze:

A questionable cause fallacy typically makes no sense when you hear it. It is easier to detect. It offers no proof along with it and is just a statement. Sometimes these can be tricky though, they can be confusing and if we aren't paying attention closely, we could just agree without thinking about what they said too deeply. Sometimes we have to analyze these fallacies a little deeper in order to get a better understanding of what point they are trying to get across.

Archie, Lee C. “Argumentum Ad Misericordiam.” Argumentum Ad Misericordiam, Lander, philosophy.lander.edu/logic/misery.html. Accessed 27 Sept. 2024. Bennett, Bo. “Appeal to Fear.” Logically Fallacious, www.logicallyfallacious.com/logicalfallacies/Appeal-to-Fear. Accessed 27 Sept. 2024. Curtis, Gary. “Loaded Question Fallacy: Loaded Question.” Logical Fallacy: Loaded Question, fallacy files, 2 Dec. 2022, www.fallacyfiles.org/loadques.html. Hanks, Craig. “Red Herring.” Department of Philosophy : Texas State University, Texas State University, 11 Jan. 2016, www.txst.edu/philosophy/resources/fallacy-definitions/Red-Herring.html. “Hasty Generalization Fallacy.” Excelsior OWL, 24 Apr. 2024, owl.excelsior.edu/argument-and-critical-thinking/logical-fallacies/logical-fallacies-hasty-generalization/. Kwiatkowski, Viktoria. “Circular Reasoning Fallacy ~ Definition & Examples.” Circular Reasoning Fallacy ~ Definition & Examples, 27 Dec. 2023, www.bachelorprint.com/fallacies/circular-reasoning-fallacy/. Nikolopoulou, Kassiani. “False Cause Fallacy: Definition & Examples.” Scribbr, Scribbr, 5 July 2023, www.scribbr.com/fallacies/false-cause-fallacy/. Nikolopoulou, Kassiani. “Slippery Slope Fallacy: Definition & Examples.” Scribbr, 14 Apr. 2023, www.scribbr.com/fallacies/slippery-slope-fallacy/#:~:text=The%20slippery%20slope%20fallacy%20is,evidence%20to%20substantiate%20the%20claim. Nikolopoulou, Kassiani. “What Is Straw Man Fallacy?: Definition & Examples.” Scribbr, Scribbr, 12 Apr. 2023, www.scribbr.com/fallacies/straw-man-fallacy/. Nordquist, Richard. “What Does It Mean to Have Contradictory Premises in an Argument?” ThoughtCo, ThoughtCo, 9 Apr. 2018, www.thoughtco.com/what-is-contrast-composition-and-rhetoric-1689798.

Works Cited