FALLACIES

Logic
Branch of philosophy that focuses on the analysis of arguments
Studies and elaborates on good argumentation
Study of correct thinking and reasoning

Fallacy
Group of statements that appear to be arguments, but fail to
support the conclusion.
Example: There is no hope in the Philippine government because
the Philippines is a tropical country.
1. Argumentum ad
Hominem (Attacking the Examples:
Person)
How can we believe him
Hominem came from Latin when he talks about social
word “homo” which means
distancing, he is a lawyer
man. This fallacy literally means
hitting the person below the
who is a liar.
It may or

belt instead of focusing on the

issue at hand. “Of course he believes that
the government is flawed,
Attacking the person he is a rebel and a
presenting the argument communist!”
instead of the argument itself
 2. Argumentum ad Examples:
Baculum (Appeal to Force) “TV Patrol is the best news
Baculum is a Latin word which program on tv. If you don’t
means scepter is a symbol of believe me, I won’t let you
authority. Normally it is the watch the tv.”
Pope who carries it in his hands.
This is commited when a person It may or

uses threat or force to advance an “if this peace agreement will

argument. not be signed by the
government then we will
Using the threat of force or an have no recourse but to go
undesirable event to advance an to war.
argument
 3. Argumentum ad
Examples:
Misercordiam (Appeal to Pity) “Forgive me officer, there are lot
of boarders in this apartment
Misercordiam came from the including myself. Only the
Latin word Misericordia which owner was issued a quarantine
means pity or compassion. A pass. We don’t have food, we
person uses emotion such as pity can’t give It may
ouror ATM to the
to convince someone owner. That’s why I went out. So
I did not violate the Bayanihan
Using emotions such as pity or Act Heal as One”.
sympathy “All these charges are baseless;
this is just plain harassment-
can’t you see how this affecting
my family?”
4. Argumentum ad Populum
(Appeal to People)/Bandwagon Examples:
fallacy “I’m sure you want to have
Populum is the Latin word for an iphone. Almost 80% of
people. Most of the TV your classmates are using it.”
commercials are guilty of this
It may or
argument which exploit people’s
“Every boy your age already
vanity, desires, etc.
has a girlfriend, you should
The idea is presented acceptable go find one!”
because a lot of people accept it.
5. Argumentum ad Examples:
Tradition/Antiquitatem (Appeal “All of us in the family, from
to Tradition our ancestors up to now, are
Traditio means tradition. devout Catholics, so it is only
Advancing an idea since it has right that you will be baptized as
bee true for a long time. Catholic.”
It may or

The idea is acceptable because it “Marriage should be between a

has been true for a long time. man and a woman. It has been
so for a long time in this
“this is the way it has always been country; it should remain so
done” today and in the future.”
6. Argumentum ad Examples:
Ignorantiam “ Appeal to “According to Zecharia Sitchin,
Ignorance” the author of the book of
Ignorantiam a Latin word for Cosmic Code, Adam was the
ignorance. Whatever has been proven first test tube baby. Since
false must be true and vice versa nobody proves otherwise,
therefore it Itismay
true
or ”
Committed when a person could not
give a counter argument or if he/she
could not present any evidences or “I am sure that the students have
witnesses to prove or disprove the understood the instructions
statement of another, his/her perfectly well because no one
assertions are correct and the raised a hand to ask anything on
opponent is wrong
them.”
7. Petitio Principii (begging Examples:
Question) “I have the right to free speech,
therefore you cannot stop me
A fallacy in which a conclusion is from talking. ”
taken for granted in the premises
“What is a declarative sentence?
Assuming the thing or idea to be
It is a sentence
It maythat
or declares.”
proven as true

Also known as circular argument “cheating is wrong because it is

immoral”
8. Hasty Generalization

Examples:
This fallacy is committed when one
reaches a generalization based on “Our neighbor who is a police
insufficient evidence officer was convicted of being a
drug dealer,It may
therefore,
or
all police
officers are drug dealers.”
9. Cause-and effect (Post Hoc, Examples:
Ergo, Propter Hoc “Ever since you both that
sweater, everything has been
Assuming that the effect is related to a going wrong in your life. You
cause because both events occur one should get rid of it”
after the other.

Assuming a “cause-and effect” “Jen comesIt may

to orclass just as the
relationship between unrelated events bell rings everday. Jen’s arrival at
class causes the bell to ring.”

“She became an old maid

because she used to sing while
cooking.”
10. Fallacy of Composition Examples:
“You are a doctor, therefore you
came from a family of doctors”.
Infers that something is true of a part,
is true of a whole “These cases of robbery in this
Assuming that what is true of a part is
district have convinces me that
true for the whole the city hasIt maybecome
or
a den of
thieves and criminals.”
Individual to all
11. Fallacy of Division
Examples:
“Your family is smart, therefore
Infers that something is true of the you are smart”.
whole, must also be true in its parts

Assuming that what is true for th “You came from a family of

It may or
whole is true for its parts doctors and intellectuals! Surely
you can do better in this
All to individual course!”
12. Fallacy of Equivocation
Examples:
“Humans walk by their legs. The
Using the same term in a different table has legs. Therefore the
situation with different meaning.
table walks by its legs.”
Calling two different things by the It may or
same name “A ruler measures 12 inches,
Mayor Isko Moreno is 12 inches”
Resulting from the use of a particular
word/ expression in multiple senses
throughout an agreement leading to a
false conclusion.
13. Fallacy of Accident 14. Argumentum ad Verecundiam
Argument from Authority
Occurs when one attempts to apply a ”
general rule to an irrelevant situation. Committed when a person uses a
name of a popular celebrity or name
Example of an expert to put more weight in
Cutting people with knives is a crime. the assertion being made.
Surgeons cut people with knives.
Surgeons are criminals. Example:
“My assignment in Chemistry is not
wrong. Ms. Aguirre, my English
teacher who is known internationally
as a novelist, confirmed my answer.”