7 Fallacies and Flawed Reasoning Free Online FlashCards

What is an informal fallacy?

An informal fallacy is a flaw in how an argument’s evidence supports its conclusion, often involving irrelevant reasons, weak evidence, or an unsupported assumption.

Does finding a fallacy prove the conclusion is false?

No. A fallacy shows that the argument has not established its conclusion; the conclusion may still be true.

What makes an argument ad hominem?

Ad hominem attacks a person instead of addressing their reasons. Someone’s rudeness, for example, does not show whether their proposal is sound.

When is an appeal to authority weak reasoning?

Citing an expert is not automatically fallacious: expertise can be relevant evidence. The appeal is weak if the authority is unqualified, outside their expertise, or used instead of adequate evidence.

What should you identify first when analyzing a flawed argument?

Identify the conclusion, then identify the supporting reasons. This separates the argument’s support from emotional language, repetition, and unrelated remarks.

What evidence could improve a weak argument?

Strengthen an argument with more representative data, a clearer comparison, or evidence that rules out alternative causes, as appropriate.

How does an informal fallacy differ from a formal fallacy?

A formal fallacy depends on an invalid logical structure; an informal fallacy usually involves irrelevant reasons, weak evidence, or unsupported assumptions.

What is a straw man fallacy?

A straw man misrepresents an opposing position, then argues against the weaker version rather than the actual position.

What is a false dilemma?

A false dilemma presents two options as the only possibilities even though other reasonable choices exist.

What makes a generalization hasty?

A hasty generalization draws a broad conclusion from too few or unrepresentative examples.

What is the false cause fallacy?

False cause treats a sequence or correlation as proof of causation. Other changes or coincidence may explain the outcome.

What is circular reasoning?

Circular reasoning uses the conclusion itself, sometimes rephrased, as its support. It assumes what it needs to prove.