Top Logical Fallacies Examples and Discussions

For those who need a little refresher, here are some of the most common informal logical fallacies.It may have happened to you while reading comments on a blog, watching a political commercial, or listening to a talking head on a chat show. A mental alarm goes off signaling that what youre reading, watching, or listening to is utter claptrap and twaddle. For me, the BS alert sounded when I ran across these random observations in the Vox Populi column of the local newspaper: Learning how to swim does not guarantee you wont drown. Im 55 years old, have never learned to swim and I havent drowned.We need to pass a law that stupid people are not allowed to own pets.Im aggravated with spaghetti sauce with vegetables. I love vegetables, but I dont want them in my spaghetti sauce. Wheres our freedom going?Regarding the person who had to tote stuff at Wal-Mart; tote? Carry. What is wrong with people? You dont tote stuff, you carry it.The English language is the only language that should be spoken in the open and none other. This is the United States of America.Those of us who are true taxpaying, working Americans need to stand up and demand that people should have certain education, I.Q. and income levels to be able to vote for president or any major political office.Anyone who thinks that interest in books is waning hasnt paid much attention. I love the show Face the Nation and they recently had eight authors on!Isnt it amazing that Savannah is ranked as 10 on Americas most snobbish city [list] and that 10 percent of Savannahs population are Yankees?Obama shouldnt go to Marthas Vineyard. Every time he does, something major happens. At these head-slapping moments, it may help to recall some of those informal logical fallacies that we once studied in school. At least then we can put a name to the nonsense. In case you need a little refresher, here are 12 common fallacies. For examples and detailed discussions, click on the highlighted terms. Ad HominemA personal attack: that is, an argument based on the perceived failings of an adversary rather than on the merits of the case.Ad MisericordiamAn argument that involves an irrelevant or highly exaggerated appeal to pity or sympathy.BandwagonAn argument based on the assumption that the opinion of the majority is always valid: everyone believes it, so you should too.Begging the QuestionA fallacy in which the premise of an argument presupposes the truth of its conclusion; in other words, the argument takes for granted what its supposed to prove. Also known as a circular argument.Dicto SimpliciterAn argument in which a general rule is treated as universally true regardless of the circumstances: a sweeping generalization.False DilemmaA fallacy of oversimplification: an argument in which only two alternatives are provided when in fact additional options are available. Sometimes called the either-or fallacy.Name CallingA fallacy that relies on emotionally loaded terms to influence an audience.Non SequiturAn argument in which a conclusion doesnt follow logically from what preceded it.Post HocA fallacy in which one event is said to be the cause of a later event simply because it occurred earlier.Red HerringAn observation that draws attention away from the central issue in an argument or discussion.Stacking the DeckA fallacy in which any evidence that supports an opposing argument is simply rejected, omitted, or ignored.Straw ManA fallacy in which an opponents argument is overstated or misrepresented in order to be more easily attacked or refuted.