Math science history: Unraveling the mystery
(Fallacons are like emoticons, but way, way cooler.)
A logical fallacy is, fundamentally, an error in logic. This means that an argument that uses one certainly doesn’t hold if you’re using logic and reason as your source of decision making - although it doesn’t stop people from using them or being swayed by them. People who want to sound smart tend to use the Latin (or some cases, Dog-Latin) names to refer to them. Others, who don’t care about being too diplomatic when bringing them up, will just cry bullshit and carry on. There are two forms of a logical fallacy, formal and informal.
Formal fallacies
Formal fallacies are those fallacies that violate a particular rule of propositional calculus, such as modus ponens. These fallacies can be determined to be invalid simply by the inspection of the form or structure of the argument - at heart, a formal fallacy contains some sort of non sequitur. This doesn’t necessarily mean that a conclusion is wrong, but it does mean that we will need a better reason or argument to derive the conclusion. (Definition from RationalWiki.)
Informal fallacies
Informal fallacies are arguments that, while not violating propositional calculus rules, are invalid because of the content of their argument. Informal fallacies are often characterised by the fact that there is a disconnect of somekind between their premises and conclusions. Inappropriate generalisations and argument from ignorance are forms or informal fallacies. These tend to be more numerous and slightly more interesting than formal fallacies. (Definition from RationalWiki.)
The following images and bbcode based forum embed codes are directly inspired by the Creative Commons licensed material at the http://yourlogicalfallacyis.com website.
ad hominem
Dismissing an opponent’s argument by attacking them personally, instead of their argument.
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ambiguity
Using double meanings or ambiguities of language to mislead or misrepresent the truth.
Use on Forum[url=http://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/ambiguity][img]http://i.imgur.com/LO0an.png[/img][/url]
anecdotal
Using personal experience or an isolated example instead of a valid argument, especially to dismiss statistics.
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appeal to authority
Using the opinion or position of an authority figure, or institution of authority, in place of an actual argument.
Use on Forum[url=http://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/appeal-to-authority][img]http://i.imgur.com/WLupc.png[/img][/url]
appeal to emotion
Manipulating an emotional response in place of a valid or compelling argument.
Use on Forum[url=http://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/appeal-to-emotion][img]http://i.imgur.com/EM2cq.png[/img][/url]
appeal to nature
Making the argument that because something is ‘natural’ it is therefore valid, justified, inevitable, or ideal.
Use on Forum[url=http://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/appeal-to-nature][img]http://i.imgur.com/InmUV.png[/img][/url]
bandwagon
Appealing to popularity or the fact that many people do something as an attempted form of validation.
Use on Forum[url=http://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/bandwagon][img]http://i.imgur.com/Xlair.png[/img][/url]
begging the question
A circular argument in which the conclusion is included in the premise.
Use on Forum[url=http://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/begging-the-question][img]http://i.imgur.com/UHbda.png[/img][/url]
black or white
Where two alternative states are presented as the only possibilities, when in fact more possibilities exist.
Use on Forum[url=http://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/black-or-white][img]http://i.imgur.com/5LAZB.png[/img][/url]
burden of proof
Saying that the burden of proof lies not with the person making the claim, but with someone else to disprove.
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composition/division
Assuming that what’s true about one part of something has to be applied to all, or other, parts of it.
Use on Forum[url=http://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/composition-division][img]http://i.imgur.com/Z9h9g.png[/img][/url]
the fallacy fallacy
Presuming that because a claim has been poorly argued, or a fallacy has been made, that it is necessarily wrong.
Use on Forum[url=http://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/the-fallacy-fallacy][img]http://i.imgur.com/xGBe9.png[/img][/url]
false cause
Presuming that a real or perceived relationship between things means that one is the cause of the other.
Use on Forum[url=http://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/false-cause][img]http://i.imgur.com/1mSTG.png[/img][/url]
the gambler’s fallacy
Believing that ‘runs’ occur to statistically independent phenomena such as roulette wheel spins.
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genetic
Judging something good or bad on the basis of where it comes from, or from whom it comes.
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loaded question
Asking a question that has an assumption built into it so that it can’t be answered without appearing guilty.
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middle ground
Saying that a compromise, or middle point, between two extremes is the truth.
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no true scotsman
Making what could be called an appeal to purity as a way to dismiss relevant criticisms or flaws of an argument.
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personal incredulity
Saying that because one finds something difficult to understand that it’s therefore not true.
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slippery slope
Asserting that if we allow A to happen, then Z will consequently happen too, therefore A should not happen.
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special pleading
Moving the goalposts or making up exceptions when a claim is shown to be false.
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strawman
Misrepresenting someone’s argument to make it easier to attack.
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the texas sharpshooter
Cherry-picking data clusters to suit an argument, or finding a pattern to fit a presumption.
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tu quoque
Avoiding having to engage with criticism by turning it back on the accuser - answering criticism with criticism.
Use on Forum[url=http://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/tu-quoque][img]http://i.imgur.com/vn38z.png[/img][/url]
This was fun to put together and got me extra credit in two different classes.
