Fallacies

While writing, fallacies seem to come easy if you do not keep an eye out. It is key to process each sentence while writing, or you may fall prey to a logical fallacy. There are many different types of fallacies to look for while writing essays, journal entries, or discussion board posts.

Generalizations: This is when a conclusion is applied to an entire group of people, even though the sample was from a small and inadequate group. For example, if you have one or two friends that wear glasses and like to read, it may be easy to generalize that those who wear glasses like to read. This would be a generalization, because many people that wear glasses probably do not like to read.

Post Hoc: This occurs when the writer assumes that because “event B” happened after “event A,” “event A” caused “event B.” For example, if you take the trash out and then the garbage truck comes the next day, it might be easy to assume that the garbage truck came specifically because you took the trash out. In reality, the garbage truck would have come whether you took the trash out or not.

Slippery Slope: This fallacy happens when the writer draws a severe and unfounded conclusion from a basic series of events. For instance, if a writer claims that violent video games are bad because they increase violent behavior, and they continue to say that this violent behavior will cause World War III and eventually annihilate the entire human race, then that would be an unfounded conclusion. It is a far reach to assume that violent video games will result in the obliteration of humanity, making this a logical fallacy.

Appeal to Authority: This is when a writer includes a famous person’s name in an attempt to increase the argument’s credibility. For example, if a writer claims that eating meat is bad, and that even Jared Leto agrees, they are using Jared Leto’s fame and popularity in an attempt to strengthen their argument, in spite of Jared Leto’s lack of expertise.

Ad Populum: This fallacy occurs when the writer is using the average person’s desire to fit in with the general population to strengthen the persuasion factor of their argument. For example, if someone claims that red is the best color for a hat, stating that 95% of the population has a red hat, this appeals to the 5% that don’t have a red hat. Even if this statistic is untrue, it convinces the reader that red really must be a great color for a hat.

Red Herring: This is one of the most common types of fallacies. It occurs when the writer raises a side argument and goes off on a tangent, effectively distracting the reader from the argument at hand. This is often used when an argument is weak to begin with. For example, if someone is arguing that exercising is bad for you, later going on a tangent that his uncle has bad knees from running, this shows that the main argument is weak. This is a side topic that does not truly relate to the topic at hand, but at first glance, it seems to strengthen the argument. It serves as a distraction to trick the reader.

Overall, logical fallacies are incredibly easy to accidentally include in academic work, so it is important to analyze your work and create a solid argument! Be sure to double check all arguments, even if they are not your own, for logical fallacies.

By Sydnee Appel, CSU Fresno Student, WRC Tutor