The Equivocation Fallacy is a type of logical error that occurs when someone uses a word or phrase with multiple meanings in a way that creates confusion, misdirection, or false conclusions. Example: “Freedom is the most important thing in life. But if you’re in prison, you can’t be free to go wherever you want.” In […]
Fallacies: Double Counting
The Double Counting Fallacy is a type of logical error that occurs when someone counts two related events, items, or factors as separate entities, resulting in an incorrect total count or an exaggerated conclusion. Example: “A survey found that 80% of people prefer to shop online and 75% of people prefer to shop during sales. […]
Fallacies: The Divine Fallacy
The Divine Fallacy is a type of logical error that occurs when someone assumes that something must be good, true, or justified because it is attributed to a divine being or a higher power. This fallacy involves mistaking the source of an idea or belief for its validity or value. Example: “The Bible says that […]
Fallacies: Definist Fallacy
The Definist Fallacy is a type of logical error that occurs when someone assumes that because a term or concept can be defined, it must therefore have a clear and precise meaning. This fallacy involves mistaking definability for clarity or precision. Example: “Murder is defined as the premeditated killing of one human being by another. […]
Fallacies: Suppressed Correlative Fallacy
The Suppressed Correlative Fallacy is a type of logical error that occurs when someone presents a correlation between two events or variables, but ignores or downplays other correlated factors. This fallacy involves selectively presenting only one side of the relationship, while suppressing or ignoring other important correlations. Example: “Studies have shown that drinking moderate amounts […]
Fallacies: Continuum Fallacy
The Continuum Fallacy is a type of logical error that occurs when someone assumes that because there are no clear boundaries or distinctions between two extremes, one extreme must gradually blend into the other. This fallacy involves ignoring the possibility that there might be distinct categories or thresholds, even if they cannot be precisely defined. […]
Fallacies: Appeal to Moderation
The Argument to Moderation Fallacy is a type of logical error that occurs when someone assumes that a moderate or middle position between two extremes must be true, simply because it seems more reasonable or appealing. This fallacy involves ignoring the possibility that one extreme might be closer to the truth, or that there are […]
Fallacies: Modal Scope Fallacy
The Modal Scope Fallacy is a type of logical error that occurs when someone misinterprets the scope of a modal operator (e.g., “it is possible,” “it is necessary”) in a sentence or argument. This fallacy involves ignoring or misunderstanding the way modal operators interact with other elements in a sentence. Example: “It is possible for […]
Fallacies: Modal Fallacy
In this example, the premise states an actual fact about the weather, but the conclusion drawn is a modal statement about possibility. This is a fallacy because the mere fact that something is happening does not imply that it was always possible or necessary. Formal Representation: R (Premise: It is raining outside)∴ ◇R (Fallacious Conclusion: […]
Fallacies: Fallacy of the Undistributed Middle
The Fallacy of the Undistributed Middle is a type of logical error that occurs when someone mistakenly assumes that two groups or categories are related simply because they share a common characteristic. This fallacy involves ignoring the fact that the shared characteristic may not be distributed equally among all members of each group. Example: “All […]