Fallacies

Disciplines > Argument > Fallacies

Fallacies are statements that are logically false, but which often appear to be true. Many of these have traditional Latin names, betraying their classical origins. If you can master these, you can spot misuse by others and avoid or use them yourself as needed.

• Full alphabetic list of fallacies: A big list of all fallacies, including alternative names.

And also by various classifications:

• Ambiguity Fallacies: Multiple meanings, at least one of which is not true.
• Analogy Fallacies: Overdoing matching across domains.
• Appeal Fallacies: Pleading rather than persuading.
• Aristotle's 13 Fallacies: The original set from the Athenian master.
• Assertive Fallacies: Asserting truth rather than proving it.
• Assumptive Fallacies: Acting as if something is true.
• Attack Fallacies: Persuading by aggression rather than truth.
• Causal Fallacies: Where cause and effect are not properly proven.
• Deductive Fallacies: Incorrectly going from general rules to specifics.
• Distraction Fallacies: Moving attention away from the real argument.
• Falsehood Fallacies: Using something that is simply wrong.
• Inductive Fallacies: Incorrectly going from specifics to general rules.
• Linguistic Fallacies: Unclear and distorted use of language.
• Non-sequitur Fallacies: Where one thing is assumed to follow another.
• Relevance Fallacies: Using irrelevant points to support an argument.
• Syllogistic Fallacies: Errors of formal logic in this specific form.
• Threat Fallacies: Scaring the other person rather than persuading.

And shorter full lists:

• Unique alphabetic list of Fallacies: Just the names used here.
• Fallacies in Latin: The traditional ones that have Latin names.
• Aristotle's 13 fallacies: The even older ones from Athenian times.

See also

Full alphabetic list of Fallacies, Fallacies in Latin, Aristotle's 13 fallacies, Decisions, Meaning, Resisting persuasion