This fallacy occurs when someone argues that a particular position must be accepted because those affected need “closure,” regardless of how morally or ethically questionable the position is. Sometimes the argument takes the form of, “Let’s just agree to disagree so we can move on,” even if one position is wrong. Not only will some…

Also Known As… Worst Case Scenario Fallacy A type of appeal to emotion, this fallacy occurs when someone’s position is based on an unrealistic worst-case scenario rather than what would probable or realistic. Those who argue these points do so to convince you to make a decision out of fear rather than reason by inflating…

A fallacy common in politics, this occurs when two different and unrelated issues or positions are falsely said to carry the same moral weight. This is often used to sway the audience’s perception of the morality of a questionable position or action. It is used in three primary ways: 1) “Just as bad” – trying…

Also Known As… False Cause, Post Hoc, Faulty Causality, Correlation vs. Causation, post hoc ergo propter hoc A very common fallacy both in everyday usage and in formal arguments, this fallacy occurs when someone confuses “correlation” (when things occur at the same time or immediately after one another) with “causation” (when one thing causes another).…

Also Known As… Fallacist’s Fallacy, Argument from Fallacy, Disproof by Fallacy, Argument to Logic, argumentum ad logicam, (similar to the Bad Reasons Fallacy, form of Psychogenetic Fallacy) This fallacy occurs when someone assumes that because an argument has been defended using a fallacy that the argument itself is wrong. Many correct ideas and positions are…

Also Known As… The Monte Carlo Fallacy, The Fallacy of the Maturity of Chances This fallacy occurs when someone believes that the statistical likelihood of an independent event is directly related to what has happened in the past. For example, in flipping a coin, the odds of an individual flip coming up heads is 50/50,…

Also Known As… Appeal to Ignorance, argumentum ex silentio, ad ignoratiam This fallacy occurs when individuals take the lack of information about a certain subject as proof of either its existence or nonexistence. Essentially, it’s the belief that something is true because we don’t know it isn’t true, or, conversely, the disbelief in something because…

Also Known As… Argument from Incredulity This fallacy occurs when someone dismisses something because they personally don’t understand it or can’t imagine how it would work. The basic level of understanding by any one person or even a majority does not dictate what is or is not false. Just because the concepts might be difficult…

Also Known As… Argument from Common Sense, Appeal to the Crowd, Appeal to the Masses, Appeal to Belief, Appeal to the Majority, Appeal to Democracy, Appeal to Popularity, Argument by Consensus, Consensus Fallacy, Authority of the Many, Bandwagon Fallacy, argumentum ad populum, argumentum ad numerum, consensus gentium This fallacy occurs when someone suggests that something…

Also Known As… Appeal to Consequences of a Belief, Argument to the Consequences, argumentum ad consequentiam This fallacy occurs when someone argues that something cannot be true because the consequences are unacceptable (or is true because the consequences are desirable). This is a fallacy for several reasons: 1) desirability is a subjective concept; 2) it…