Fallacies

Fallacies

1. Guilt by association

   • occurs when someone connects an opponent to a demonized group of people or to a bad person in order to discredit his or her argument.
     • example: John is a con artist. John has black hair. Therefore, all people with black hair are con artists.

2. circumstancial

   • Circumstantial fallacy persuades by mimicking our legitimate concerns over conflict of interest. However, arguments are not decisions. A person with a conflict of interest may reason badly (and thus make a bad decision), but his conflict of interest need not influence our assessment of his argument.
     • example: A politician claims that it is in the country's best interest to expand oil production. Her opponent claims that she is only saying that because her state benefits from oil production.

3. abusive

   • The argument attacks a position by appealing to the despicable qualities, moral turpitude, and over-all lowness and meanness of a person who holds the position.
     • example: I can't believe that anyone really listens to what the National Rifle Association has to say. After all, they're just a bunch of ignorant yokels.

4. tu quoque

   • Claiming the argument is flawed by pointing out that the one making the argument is not acting consistently with the claims of the argument.
     • example: Helga: You should not be eating that... it has been scientifically proven that eating fat burgers are no good for your health. Hugh: You eat fat burgers all the time so that can’t be true.