AICE Thinking Skills Fallacies
Exam Questions & Solutions
Slippery Slope - -An arguer claims without sufficient reason that a seemingly
harmless action will lead to a disastrous outcome. 'If action A is permitted, A
will lead to B, B will lead to C, and soon to D. Arguer holds that D is a terrible
thing that shouldn't be permitted. There's no good reason to believe that A
will lead to D.'
- Ad Hominem - -Reflects someone's argument or claim rather than the
person's argument or claim. 'X is a bad person. Therefore, X's argument
must be bad.'
- Bandwagon appeal - -Argument that an idea should be accepted because
a large number of people favor it or believe it to be true. 'Most people
believe or do X. Therefore, you should believe or do X.'
- Inappropriate Appeal to Authority - -When an arguer cites an authority
who, there's a good reason to believe is unreliable.
- Non sequitor - -A conclusion doesn't follow logically from preceding
statements or that's based on irrelevant data.
- Straw man - -When you twist people's words and misrepresent or
completely fabricate someone's argument so it's easier to attack.
- Begging the question - -Accept the conclusion without real evidence.
- Tu Quoque - -Rejects another person's argument or claim because that
person fails to practice what they preach.
- Hasty Generalization - -Arguer draws general conclusion from a sample
that's either biased or too small.
- False Dichotomy - -Argument presents two options or opinions and ignores
other alternatives. Black and white mindset.
- Post Hoc - -Arguer assumes that one event precedes another; the first
event caused the second. Like superstitions.
- Appeal to Ignorance - -Claim must be true because no one proved it false
or vice versa.
Exam Questions & Solutions
Slippery Slope - -An arguer claims without sufficient reason that a seemingly
harmless action will lead to a disastrous outcome. 'If action A is permitted, A
will lead to B, B will lead to C, and soon to D. Arguer holds that D is a terrible
thing that shouldn't be permitted. There's no good reason to believe that A
will lead to D.'
- Ad Hominem - -Reflects someone's argument or claim rather than the
person's argument or claim. 'X is a bad person. Therefore, X's argument
must be bad.'
- Bandwagon appeal - -Argument that an idea should be accepted because
a large number of people favor it or believe it to be true. 'Most people
believe or do X. Therefore, you should believe or do X.'
- Inappropriate Appeal to Authority - -When an arguer cites an authority
who, there's a good reason to believe is unreliable.
- Non sequitor - -A conclusion doesn't follow logically from preceding
statements or that's based on irrelevant data.
- Straw man - -When you twist people's words and misrepresent or
completely fabricate someone's argument so it's easier to attack.
- Begging the question - -Accept the conclusion without real evidence.
- Tu Quoque - -Rejects another person's argument or claim because that
person fails to practice what they preach.
- Hasty Generalization - -Arguer draws general conclusion from a sample
that's either biased or too small.
- False Dichotomy - -Argument presents two options or opinions and ignores
other alternatives. Black and white mindset.
- Post Hoc - -Arguer assumes that one event precedes another; the first
event caused the second. Like superstitions.
- Appeal to Ignorance - -Claim must be true because no one proved it false
or vice versa.
