Ask Your Questions About Logical Fallacies

Welcome! This is the place to ask the community of experts and other fallacyophites (I made up that word) if someone has a committed a fallacy or not. This is a great way to settle a dispute!


Dr. Bo's Criteria for Logical Fallacies:

  • It must be an error in reasoning not a factual error.
  • It must be commonly applied to an argument either in the form of the argument or in the interpretation of the argument.
  • It must be deceptive in that it often fools the average adult.
Therefore, we will define a logical fallacy as a concept within argumentation that commonly leads to an error in reasoning due to the deceptive nature of its presentation. Logical fallacies can comprise fallacious arguments that contain one or more non-factual errors in their form or deceptive arguments that often lead to fallacious reasoning in their evaluation.
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answers
Does Israel have a "right" to exist?

We often hear the mantra "Israel has a right to exist." Is this a fallacy, perhaps based on the definition of "right"? Or is it a red herring, diverting attention from the Palestinian genocide? Do all countries have an inherent "right" to exist? If...

asked on Wednesday, Dec 13, 2023 01:44:13 PM by David Blomstrom
4
answers
What fallacy is this if any? Strawman, Definist, reframing?

So, I try to use the claim that as an atheist Me:  I do not believe there is no God. I just don't believe there is one. Them: That ain't atheism Me:  Why not? Them:  It doesn't negate the possible nor the necessary exis...

asked on Monday, Dec 11, 2023 08:46:52 AM by Jack
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answers
False Equivalency?

Would this be considered a False Equivalency? A) All martians have blue hair . B) Abraham Lincoln was a Martian and he had blue hair. C) B proves A .

asked on Tuesday, Nov 21, 2023 12:26:29 PM by MicroBeta
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Is the Misplaced Presumption fallacy the best fit for acceptance of the "Operation Northwoods" documents as genuine?

According to Wikipedia, Operation Northwoods was: a proposed false flag operation that originated within the US Department of Defense of the United States government in 1962. The proposals called for CIA operatives to both stage and commit acts of ...

asked on Thursday, Nov 16, 2023 12:37:05 AM by Petra Liverani
6
answers
Is this Appeal to Extremes?

Let's say I send someone an email, and they respond: "Your writing stinks." I respond: "Well, I thought it was fine. I didn't know you wanted to correspond with Herman Melville." Is that an example of Appeal to Extremes? Something else? Thanks in...

asked on Wednesday, Oct 25, 2023 10:44:14 AM by Daniel
3
answers
What is the fallacy of ignoring the other person's refutation and asserting victory?

So I have an argument with an adopted sibling regarding stuff. One pattern I notice is they do not respond to refutations and continue forwarding the argument. Not necessarily repeating the premise but rather ignoring the refutation and making stat...

asked on Wednesday, Oct 25, 2023 12:42:51 AM by Nadir
3
answers
Slippery Slope or Non Sequitur????

I teach argument basics and am revamping my fallacies lesson.  A student sent me this picture of an obvious fallacy.  I am stuck: is this a Slippery Slope or a Non Sequitur? Seems the steps are listed to qualify it as a Slippery Slope, but...

asked on Sunday, Oct 22, 2023 07:20:10 PM by Co-Lo
4
answers
Argument about history

Person 1: This historical figure was gay.  Person 2: This historical figure was not gay.  Person 1: How do you know, he could have been, what reason do you have to think they weren't gay?  Person 2: Because I have yet to see any su...

asked on Friday, Oct 20, 2023 12:41:07 AM by LF2023
4
answers
Consensus

What do you say to someone who argues that everything that is determined to be true is based around consensus, so if you have control of the consensus, and thus can manipulate the consensus to say whatever you want the consensus to say, you therefor...

asked on Sunday, Oct 15, 2023 05:11:59 AM by LF2023
2
answers
Argument

“ The data-driven bottom line is that “man/woman” and “masculine/feminine” are neither biological terms nor rooted exclusively in biology. The lack of an explicit binary is especially evident in humans given the complex neurobiologies, lif...

asked on Saturday, Oct 14, 2023 06:18:45 PM by Ethan
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