Group Seven: Sample Fallacies and Booby Traps

1. The Soviet Union collapsed after taking up atheism. Therefore, we must avoid atheism for the same reasons.

Appeal to Authority

False Cause

Straw Man

Equivocation

Genetic Fallacy

2. I’m not a doctor, but I play a doctor on TV, and I wouldn’t dream of using anything but Tylenol for my toughest headaches.

Genetic Fallacy

False Cause

Undistributed Middle

Vagueness

Appeal to Authority

3. The war in Iraq has been a complete success. After all, Saddam Hussein is dead, and the Iraqis had their first free election in years.

Undistributed Middle

False Cause

Equivocation

Suppressed Evidence

Straw Man

4. Poetry is based on rhythm, and music is based on rhythm, so isn't poetry a kind of music?

Red Herring

Vagueness

Equivocation

Undistributed Middle

Appeal to Authority

5. Most heroin users started out smoking pot. If you start smoking pot, you’ll end up a heroin user, too.

Vagueness

Equivocation

Undistributed Middle

Appeal to Authority

Straw Man

6. Many people criticize Thomas Jefferson for being an owner of slaves. But Jefferson was one of our greatest presidents, and his Declaration of Independence is one of the most eloquent pleas for freedom and democracy ever written. Clearly these criticisms are unwarranted.

Red Herring

Appeal to Authority

Vagueness

Genetic Fallacy

False Cause

7. How can you possibly believe in evolution? That would mean that you believe that an elephant evolved from a mouse, and that’s just ridiculous.

Genetic Fallacy

Straw Man

Undistributed Middle

Appeal to Authority

Vagueness

8. Miller Lite is cheap beer, so the Guinness will be cheap, too

Straw Man

Appeal to Authority

Questionable Use of Statistics

Vagueness

Genetic Fallacy

9. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, look at the bloody clothes, the murder weapon. Imagine the helpless screams of the victim. Such a crime deserves no verdict except guilty, guilty!

Vagueness

Straw Man

False Cause

Red Herring

Suppressed Evidence

10. Jake, Kyle and Rolf are all members of the UNCP Young Republicans, and they are all planning to be Roman Catholic priests. Emma is also a member of the UNCP Young Republicans, so she is probably planning to be a Roman Catholic priest, too.

False Cause

Questionable Use of Statistics

Equivocation

Genetic Fallacy

Undistributed Middle

Group Seven: Sample Fallacies and Booby Traps

1. The Soviet Union collapsed after taking up atheism. Therefore, we must avoid atheism for the same reasons.

2.

What first name or nickname would you like us to use?

2. I’m not a doctor, but I play a doctor on TV, and I wouldn’t dream of using anything but Tylenol for my toughest headaches.

3. The war in Iraq has been a complete success. After all, Saddam Hussein is dead, and the Iraqis had their first free election in years.

4. Poetry is based on rhythm, and music is based on rhythm, so isn't poetry a kind of music?

5. Most heroin users started out smoking pot. If you start smoking pot, you’ll end up a heroin user, too.

6. Many people criticize Thomas Jefferson for being an owner of slaves. But Jefferson was one of our greatest presidents, and his Declaration of Independence is one of the most eloquent pleas for freedom and democracy ever written. Clearly these criticisms are unwarranted.

7. How can you possibly believe in evolution? That would mean that you believe that an elephant evolved from a mouse, and that’s just ridiculous.

8. Miller Lite is cheap beer, so the Guinness will be cheap, too

9. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, look at the bloody clothes, the murder weapon. Imagine the helpless screams of the victim. Such a crime deserves no verdict except guilty, guilty!

10. Jake, Kyle and Rolf are all members of the UNCP Young Republicans, and they are all planning to be Roman Catholic priests. Emma is also a member of the UNCP Young Republicans, so she is probably planning to be a Roman Catholic priest, too.