Critical Thinking Fallacies Definitions and Examples in
Argumentation Comprehensive Questions and answers 2026
fallacy - ANSWERa defect in an argument that arises from either a mistake in
reasoning or in the creation of an illusion that makes a bad argument appear
good
formal fallacy - ANSWERmay be identified by merely examining the form or
structure of an argument
informal fallacies - ANSWERcan only be detected by examining the argument
fallacies of relevance - ANSWERshare the common characteristic that the
arguments in which they occur have premises that are logically irrelevant to
the conclusion
appeal to force - ANSWERoccurs whenever an arguer poses a conclusion to
another and tells that person that either implicitly or explicitly that some
harm will come to them if he or she does not accept the conclusion
appeal to pity - ANSWERoccurs when an arguer attempts to support a
conclusion by merely evoking pity on the reader or listener
appeal to the people - ANSWEReveryone wants to be loved and accepted, so
this fallacy uses these desires to get the reader or listener to accept a
conclusion
, appeal to fear - ANSWERarguer threatens the reader
bandwagon argument - ANSWEReveryone believes such-and-such, so you
should too!
appeal to pity - ANSWERarguer incites pity from the listener
appeal to snobbery - ANSWERthe crowd that the arguer appeals to is a
smaller group that is suppose to be superior in some way. if the listener
wants to be part of this group, he or she will do a certain thing or think in a
certain way
appeal to tradition - ANSWERoccurs when an arguer cites the fact that
something has become a tradition as grounds for some conclusion
argument against the person - ANSWERit involves two arguers where one
advances and the other responds
ad hominem abusive - ANSWERthe second person responds to the first
persons argument by abusing the first person
ad hominem circumstantial - ANSWERattempts to discredit the first persons
argument by alluding to circumstances that affect the opponent
tu quoque - ANSWERthe second arguer attempts to make the first appear
hypocritical or in bad faith
Argumentation Comprehensive Questions and answers 2026
fallacy - ANSWERa defect in an argument that arises from either a mistake in
reasoning or in the creation of an illusion that makes a bad argument appear
good
formal fallacy - ANSWERmay be identified by merely examining the form or
structure of an argument
informal fallacies - ANSWERcan only be detected by examining the argument
fallacies of relevance - ANSWERshare the common characteristic that the
arguments in which they occur have premises that are logically irrelevant to
the conclusion
appeal to force - ANSWERoccurs whenever an arguer poses a conclusion to
another and tells that person that either implicitly or explicitly that some
harm will come to them if he or she does not accept the conclusion
appeal to pity - ANSWERoccurs when an arguer attempts to support a
conclusion by merely evoking pity on the reader or listener
appeal to the people - ANSWEReveryone wants to be loved and accepted, so
this fallacy uses these desires to get the reader or listener to accept a
conclusion
, appeal to fear - ANSWERarguer threatens the reader
bandwagon argument - ANSWEReveryone believes such-and-such, so you
should too!
appeal to pity - ANSWERarguer incites pity from the listener
appeal to snobbery - ANSWERthe crowd that the arguer appeals to is a
smaller group that is suppose to be superior in some way. if the listener
wants to be part of this group, he or she will do a certain thing or think in a
certain way
appeal to tradition - ANSWERoccurs when an arguer cites the fact that
something has become a tradition as grounds for some conclusion
argument against the person - ANSWERit involves two arguers where one
advances and the other responds
ad hominem abusive - ANSWERthe second person responds to the first
persons argument by abusing the first person
ad hominem circumstantial - ANSWERattempts to discredit the first persons
argument by alluding to circumstances that affect the opponent
tu quoque - ANSWERthe second arguer attempts to make the first appear
hypocritical or in bad faith
