Cognitive Biases: Survivorship Bias

The Survivorship Bias is a type of cognitive bias that occurs when we focus on people or things that have “survived” some kind of selection process, while ignoring those who did not survive. This can lead to misleading conclusions and inaccurate assessments of performance. Here are a few examples: Example 1: Stock MarketImagine an investor […]

Fallacies: Nitpicking Fallacy

Definition: The Nitpicking Fallacy involves concentrating on insignificant or irrelevant aspects of an argument, and using those minor flaws to discredit or dismiss the entire argument. Example: Person A: “We should invest in renewable energy because it’s better for the environment and will reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.” Person B: “But what about the […]

Fallacies: Cherry Picking Fallacy

Definition: The Cherry Picking Fallacy occurs when someone presents only a selection of data, statistics, or facts that support their argument, while deliberately omitting or disregarding other relevant and contradictory evidence. Example: A politician claims that the economy is doing well because the stock market has increased by 10% over the past year. However, they […]

Fallacies: No True Scotsman Fallacy

The Accident Fallacy, also known as the “fallacy of accident” or “secundum quid,” is a type of logical error that occurs when someone infers a general rule from an exceptional case. This fallacy involves ignoring the specific circumstances of an event and drawing conclusions based on those unique conditions. Definition: The Accident Fallacy occurs when […]

Fallacies: Accident Fallacy

The Accident Fallacy, also known as the “fallacy of accident” or “secundum quid,” is a type of logical error that occurs when someone infers a general rule from an exceptional case. This fallacy involves ignoring the specific circumstances of an event and drawing conclusions based on those unique conditions. Definition: The Accident Fallacy occurs when […]

Fallacies: Faulty Generalizations

A faulty generalization is a type of logical fallacy that occurs when an individual makes a broad statement or conclusion based on incomplete, inaccurate, or unrepresentative information. This can lead to incorrect assumptions and misguided decisions. What are Faulty Generalizations? Faulty generalizations involve drawing conclusions about a larger population or situation based on limited data […]

Fallacies: Fallacy of Many Questions

The “Fallacy of Many Questions” (FMQ) is a cognitive bias that occurs when someone asks multiple questions at once, making it difficult to provide clear and concise answers. This fallacy can be observed in various contexts, including debates, interviews, and everyday conversations. What is the Fallacy of Many Questions? The FMQ arises when a person […]

Fallacies: Circular Reasoning

The Circular Reasoning Fallacy is a type of logical fallacy that involves using a conclusion as a premise to support itself. In other words, it’s an argument where the claim being made is essentially used as its own evidence. Circular reasoning can take many forms, but here are some common patterns: Here’s an example of […]

Fallacies: Begging the Question

The Begging the Question Fallacy (also known as Petitio Principii) is a type of logical fallacy that involves assuming the truth of the conclusion one is trying to prove. In other words, it’s a circular argument where the premiseand the conclusion are essentially the same thing. The Begging the Question Fallacy typically follows this pattern: […]

Fallacies: Special Pleading Fallacy

The Special Pleading Fallacy is a type of logical fallacy that involves making an exception or excuse for one’s own argument, while denying similar exceptions or excuses to others. This fallacy occurs when someone tries to exemptthemselves from criticism or scrutiny by creating a special circumstance or justification that only applies to their own situation. […]