Fallacies are errors in logic or reasoning that lead to arguments supported by illogical or misleading premises. They come in various forms, including generalizations and false choices. Verbal slip-ups are also common. Some fallacies appear logically correct, while others appeal to emotions or authority figures. It’s important to analyze your own arguments as rigorously as you examine others’.
A fallacy is an error in logic or reasoning that leads to an argument supported by illogical or misleading premises. In some cases, particularly in advertising and informal discussions, errors are used intentionally to influence the opinions of others. Careful analysis of an argument which is based on an error, however, always reveals that the conclusion of the argument cannot be drawn from the premises. Fallacies come in the form of sweeping generalizations, appeals to emotion or authority, assumptions of causality, and a variety of other claims based outside of logic. While some mistakes are made intentionally, it’s easy to make accidental logical errors, so it’s important to analyze your own arguments at least as rigorously as you examine the arguments of others.
There are many different types of errors classified according to the types of logical errors they cause. Some types involve generalizations: a logical error is made by drawing a specific conclusion from a false generalization or deducing a general rule from a specific case. Another type of fallacy is to set up a false choice by claiming that there are only a small number of possible solutions to a given problem when in fact there are many more. There are many other forms of error as well, almost all of which involve reaching a conclusion based on illogical premises or assuming a conclusion for no reason.
A verbal slip is a type of fallacious statement that is based on the misuse of words. Such errors are often based on ambiguous words and phrases. Using an ambiguous word in two different ways in the same subject, for example, is known as “misunderstanding” and is a common verbal error. Other verbal slip-ups simply involve using a large number of words and phrases to make an argument that sounds good but is difficult to unravel.
Some logical fallacies appear logically correct and are effective simply because they are difficult to distinguish from logical arguments without rigorous examination. Others appeal to their own emotions and prejudices or to some authority figure. One may choose not to make a point that rests on the word of a famous professor, for example, simply because by protesting the point, one is also opposing a respected figure. This fallacy and others that rely on emotion and coercion don’t seem necessarily logical, but they appeal to a person’s emotions or ethical sense independent of logical considerations.
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