Logical Fallacies

1. Dicto Simpliciter is an argument based on unqualified generalization: Icecream is tasty, therefore everybody loves icecream.

2. Hasty Generalization is stereotyping: My caucasion friends have nice parents, so all caucasion parents are nice.

3. Post Hoc is generalization due to certain events: Everytime I wear this charm bracelet I get an A on my tests, so as long as I wear this bracelet I will always get As.

4. Contradictory Premises is when two premises contradict each other, therefore no conclusion can be drawn: You said you'll do anything for me, so you have to jump off this bridge for me.

5. Ad Misericordiam is argument that targets emotions: Why should I not go to jail? Because I have a broken leg, my cat just died, and my life already sucks.

6. False Analogy is comparing two events that have no relation with each other: My hamster does not need much attention, so dogs shouldn't be so hard to take care of.

7. Hypothesis Contrary to Fact is to create a false hypothesis, then draw conclusions from it: I am a good friend who made my friends good people. The reason for her transgression is because I am not her friend anymore.

8. Poisoning the Well is attacking a premise to make everybody emotionally veer from it: Don't trust him; I heard he cheated on his girlfriend before.

9. Fallacy of accidents is a generalization that disregards exceptions: America promises freedom, so I can freely beat up that kid.

10. Affirming the consequent is to draw conclusion from premises that do not support the conclusion by assuming Q implies P on the basis that P implies Q: People are getting sick from swine flu. John is sick. He has swine flu.

11. Denying the antecedent is to draw conclusion from premises that do not support the conclusion by assuming Not P implies Not Q on the basis of P equals Q: Music calms a person down. Sarah is going nuts; she hasn't been listening to music lately.

12. Fallacy of many questions is to group more that one question to form one question: Have you stopped stealing and selling drugs?

13. Appeal to Authority is to believe anything a president says or does: Obama smoked marijuana, so it is okay for everyone to smoke mj.