Logical Fallacies Examples
straw man
Charlie: I think we should put more money into schools. Quality public education is so important. Bob: so you're saying we should cut military spending and spend it instead on more spiral notebooks and crayons? I guess you want our country to be a weak, defenseless target for terrorists.
Bandwagon
I guess I should buy my 12-year-old daughter an iPhone. Everyone at her new school has one and I want her to fit in with the other kids.
sentimental appeal
I know you don't like the kitty cat sweater that grandma knitted for you, but she worked so hard on it and it will make her happy to see you wear it in the family holiday photo.
either/or
i'm raising funds to help cure XYZ disease. if you don't donate, then you're part of the problem
slippery slope
if I don't take this AP class, then I won't do well on the exam. If I don't do well on the AP exam, then I can't get into a good college. If I can't get into a good college, then I'll never get a good job. If I can't get a good job, then I'm going to have to live in my parents basement forever. Guess I'll sign up for the AP class
faulty casuality
many women claim that they want to live in a peaceful world, but we must remember that there were no nuclear weapons before women were given the right to vote
scare tactic
medical expenses for the elderly continue to rise. If you don't buy long-term healthcare insurance now, you probably won't be able to qualify once you're older. Sure, the insurance policy is a little expensive, but it's worth spending the money today so you don't go bankrupt in the future, becoming a burden to your family.
ad hominem
oh, please. What would you know about labor laws? You don't even have a job.
appeal to false authority
there is definitely a link between autism and the vaccines given to toddlers. I know this because a Wikipedia entry mentioned numerous studies that found this to be true.
hasty generalization
we think this new MallTime game app will be a success because all little girls like shopping
