{"id":47096,"date":"2018-12-24T16:06:58","date_gmt":"2018-12-24T16:06:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/?page_id=47096"},"modified":"2026-03-25T10:49:20","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T15:49:20","slug":"understanding-various-types-of-logical-fallacies","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/understanding-various-types-of-logical-fallacies\/","title":{"rendered":"Various Types of Logical Fallacies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t\t\t<div id=\"mmDeferVideoEncompass_UzT4L0Zt4ZY\" style=\"position: relative;\">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/circle-play-duotone.webp\" type=\"image\/webp\">\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/circle-play-duotone.png\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"> \n\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"eager\" id=\"videoThumbnailImage_UzT4L0Zt4ZY\" data-source-videoID=\"UzT4L0Zt4ZY\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/circle-play-duotone.png\" alt=\"Various Types of Logical Fallacies Video\" height=\"464\" width=\"825\" class=\"size-full\" data-matomo-title = \"Various Types of Logical Fallacies\">\n\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<style>img#videoThumbnailImage_UzT4L0Zt4ZY:hover {cursor:pointer;} img#videoThumbnailImage_UzT4L0Zt4ZY {background-size:contain;background-image:url(\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/152-logical-fallacies-resized-1.webp\");}<\/style>\n\t\t\t<script defer>\n\t\t\t  jQuery(\"img#videoThumbnailImage_UzT4L0Zt4ZY\").click(function() {\n\t\t\t\tlet videoId = jQuery(this).attr(\"data-source-videoID\");\n\t\t\t\tlet helpTag = '<div id=\"mmDeferVideoYTMessage_UzT4L0Zt4ZY\" style=\"display: none;position: absolute;top: -24px;width: 100%;text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;font-size: small;border-top: 1px solid #fc0;\">Having trouble? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v='+videoId+'\" target=\"_blank\">Click here to watch on YouTube.<\/a><\/span><\/div>';\n\t\t\t\tlet tag = document.createElement(\"iframe\");\n\t\t\t\ttag.id = \"yt\" + videoId;\n\t\t\t\ttag.src = \"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/\" + videoId + \"?autoplay=1&controls=1&wmode=opaque&rel=0&egm=0&iv_load_policy=3&hd=0&enablejsapi=1\";\n\t\t\t\ttag.frameborder = 0;\n\t\t\t\ttag.allow = \"autoplay; fullscreen\";\n\t\t\t\ttag.width = this.width;\n\t\t\t\ttag.height = this.height;\n\t\t\t\ttag.setAttribute(\"data-matomo-title\",\"Various Types of Logical Fallacies\");\n\t\t\t\tjQuery(\"div#mmDeferVideoEncompass_UzT4L0Zt4ZY\").html(tag);\n\t\t\t\tjQuery(\"div#mmDeferVideoEncompass_UzT4L0Zt4ZY\").prepend(helpTag);\n\t\t\t\tsetTimeout(function(){jQuery(\"div#mmDeferVideoYTMessage_UzT4L0Zt4ZY\").css(\"display\", \"block\");}, 2000);\n\t\t\t  });\n\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t<\/script>\n\t\t\n<p><script>\nfunction fbi_Function() {\n  var x = document.getElementById(\"fbi\");\n  if (x.style.display === \"none\") {\n    x.style.display = \"block\";\n  } else {\n    x.style.display = \"none\";\n  }\n}\n<\/script><\/p>\n<div class=\"moc-toc hide-on-desktop hide-on-tablet\">\n<div><button onclick=\"fbi_Function()\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/toc2.svg\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"show or hide table of contents\"><\/button><\/p>\n<p>On this page<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<nav id=\"fbi\" style=\"display:none;\">\n<ul>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Circular_Reasoning\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Circular Reasoning<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Overgeneralization\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Overgeneralization<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Slippery_Slope\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Slippery Slope<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Straw_Man\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Straw Man<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Ad_Hominem\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Ad Hominem<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#False_Dichotomy\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">False Dichotomy<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Appeal_to_Emotion\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Appeal to Emotion<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Equivocation\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Equivocation<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Bandwagon\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Bandwagon<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#False_Anaology\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">False Anaology<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"accordion\"><input id=\"transcript\" type=\"checkbox\" class=\"spoiler_button\" \/><label for=\"transcript\">Transcript<\/label>\n<div class=\"spoiler\" id=\"transcript-spoiler\">\n<p>The best way to read logical fallacies is to familiarize yourself with the different types so that they can be easily identified when reading. If you\u2019re unsure of what a logical fallacy is or what the most common types are, you can check out our video on <a class=\"ylist\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/reading-logical-fallicies\/\">reading logical fallacies<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Today, I\u2019ll be going a little deeper into the subject with more examples and tips on how to read for logical fallacies in literature.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Circular_Reasoning\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Circular Reasoning<\/h2>\n<p>\nIn circular reasoning, A is true because B is true, and B is true because A is true.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve provided a few examples; let\u2019s see if you can spot the example of circular reasoning.<\/p>\n<ol style=\"list-style: upper-alpha;\">\n<li>Drinking eight cups of water is one way to keep hydrated.<\/li>\n<li>Going to bed early means that I\u2019ll sleep well because I went to bed early.<\/li>\n<li>Wearing sunglasses outside will protect your eyes from the sun.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Option <strong>B<\/strong> is the logical fallacy. This example implies that I only sleep well by going to bed early, and I only go to bed early so I can sleep well. We all know that going to bed early does not automatically equate to a good night\u2019s sleep and that other factors could be involved. In the other two options, both sentences are specific enough and account for other possible factors.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Overgeneralization\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Overgeneralization<\/h2>\n<p>\nIn hasty generalization, or overgeneralization, <a class=\"ylist\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/identifying-a-logical-conclusion\/\">conclusions are drawn<\/a> about a larger picture from a measly sample size.<\/p>\n<div class=\"transcriptcallout\" style=\"text-align: left;\">Susan is checking out at the grocery store and sees a couple of magazines she might be interested in. One of them says that her favorite actress lives a healthy life due to her vegetarian diet, therefore everyone should switch to a vegetarian diet. Another magazine explains the health benefits of spinach and encourages readers to try it in their breakfast muffins; and a third offers tips for the latest fashion trends.<\/div>\n<p>\n&nbsp;<br \/>\nCan you identify which magazine ad uses overgeneralization?<\/p>\n<p>The <strong>first<\/strong> magazine uses overgeneralization. The problem here is that this magazine assumes that there are not other diets that are healthy. While a vegetarian diet may work well for some, there are other diets out there that work just as well for others. A vegetarian diet is not the only way to live a healthy lifestyle. Better go with the muffin recipe, Susan!<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Slippery_Slope\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Slippery Slope<\/h2>\n<p>\nIn the case of fallacy, that\u2019s usually negative in outcome, a series of events are irrationally strung together to create a main outcome. Basically, you can have A, B, and C in a scenario and somehow make it all the way to Z, missing the in-between factors.<\/p>\n<p>Here are two examples. Can you identify the slippery slope fallacy?<\/p>\n<ol style=\"list-style: upper-alpha;\">\n<li style=\"margin-bottom: 1em;\">When Sara gets off of work at 5PM, she needs to catch the bus, go to the grocery store, get home in time to make dinner. After making dinner, she needs to feed her kids and get them to soccer practice all before 7PM. Sara hopes she gets off of work early and doesn\u2019t have to miss any of her activities.<\/li>\n<li>If John wakes up in the morning and doesn\u2019t have enough coffee to make a full cup, he will most assuredly have a bad day. His professor will give him a bad grade on the test, and he will ultimately have to drop the class.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Option <strong>B<\/strong> is correct. To suggest that missing his morning coffee one day results in having to drop a class is an example of slippery slope reasoning. One event has managed to unrealistically spiral into a bigger event that is not logically based on the first event. How John\u2019s day goes is entirely up to him, regardless of if he\u2019s had his morning coffee or not.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Straw_Man\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Straw Man<\/h2>\n<p>\nIn straw man logic, a claim is distorted and used against the person making the original claim. Can you tell which option is an example of straw man logic?<\/p>\n<ol style=\"list-style: upper-alpha;\">\n<li style=\"margin-bottom: 1em;\">Andy is talking with his parents about going off for college rather than staying local. His mother responds by hysterically crying that her son is wanting to move away and never come back and that he must hate her. Andy becomes confused with how his mother concluded he hates her just by his mentioning maybe going off for college rather than staying local.<\/li>\n<li>Andy is talking with his parents about going off for college rather than staying local due to their better academic program. His mother responds by mentioning that out of state tuition is much higher than in-state, and she just read an article about students with loans have a lower chance of success in life.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>\nOption A is the correct choice. In this example, Andy\u2019s mother has taken his statement and twisted it to mean something else entirely, thus discrediting his original statement.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Ad_Hominem\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Ad Hominem<\/h2>\n<p>\nIn ad hominem, an attack is made on someone\u2019s personal character during an argument; of course, this personal attack does not contribute anything to the discussion at hand. Which of the choices below displays an example of ad hominem fallacy?<\/p>\n<ol style=\"list-style: upper-alpha;\">\n<li>John tells Andy that the sky is blue. Andy responds by asking, \u201cWhat shade?\u201d<\/li>\n<li>John tells Andy that the sky is blue. Andy responds by asking for proof.<\/li>\n<li>John tells Andy that the sky is blue. Andy responds by saying, \u201cYeah, and the grass is green. Your point?\u201d<\/li>\n<li>John tells Andy that the sky is blue. Andy responds by saying that he doesn\u2019t discuss the weather with morons.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>\nOption <strong>D<\/strong> is an example of Ad Hominem fallacy. Whether or not John is rude has nothing to do with the fact that sky is blue. Andy\u2019s comment was an attack on John\u2019s personal character rather than information contributive to the argument.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"False_Dichotomy\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>False Dichotomy<\/h2>\n<p>\nA false dichotomy occurs when someone is presented with an ultimatum in an argument, usually consisting of two contrasting choices. Can you spot the correct example of false dichotomy in the options below?<\/p>\n<ol style=\"list-style: upper-alpha;\">\n<li>If you do your homework, you may go to the park with your friends.<\/li>\n<li>You can either do your homework or sit in your room for the weekend.<\/li>\n<li>Not doing your homework will most likely result in failing your class.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>\nOption <strong>B<\/strong> is an example of false dichotomy. This statement presents an \u201ceither, or\u201d decision and therefore ignores the possibility for neutrality in the situation.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Appeal_to_Emotion\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Appeal to Emotion<\/h2>\n<p>\nAppeal to emotion is when a speaker uses their words to manipulate the emotions of their audience, hoping to sway their thinking on the subject. A great example of appeal to emotion is during political campaigns. People argue with each other that if you aren\u2019t voting for a certain candidate, then you\u2019re voting against the rights of others.<\/p>\n<p>Both parties use this tactic to push their own agendas and in turn make the opposing sides feel guilty or ashamed for thinking the opposing way. Anytime you are reading, and it seems an emotion is being forced on the reader, it is appeal to emotion.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Equivocation\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Equivocation<\/h2>\n<p>\nEquivocation, or <strong>doublespeak fallacy<\/strong>, is when a term that typically carries a lot of uncertainty in its meaning is used in more than one way, creating confusion during a debate. In other words, definitions are not clearly used and therefore the double meanings of words might be wrongly incorporated into an argument. See if you can find equivocation below:<\/p>\n<ol style=\"list-style: upper-alpha;\">\n<li>Mom, my brother keeps hitting me. How am I not supposed to hit him back?<\/li>\n<li>Mom, you said I should work on not being offensive, but my coach doesn\u2019t want me to play defense anymore.<\/li>\n<li>Mom, sis keeps saying that I offended her, but all I did was roll my eyes a little bit.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>\nOption <strong>B<\/strong> demonstrates doublespeak. The child is equivocating being rude to someone with playing on his team\u2019s offense, perhaps in an attempt to get away with annoying his siblings.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Bandwagon\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Bandwagon<\/h2>\n<p>\nBandwagon appeal caters to the idea that everyone is partaking in the activity, so it must be OK. It can also be used to appeal overwhelmingly to a group\u2019s emotional needs.<\/p>\n<p>A great example is 67% of drivers in America speed. Therefore, it is acceptable for me to speed while driving.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"False_Anaology\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>False Anaology<\/h2>\n<p>\nFalse Analogy usually consists of stereotypes and commercial advertisements. A couple of examples might be as follows:<\/p>\n<ol style=\"list-style: upper-alpha;\">\n<li>You can use coffee beans in your 15-bean soup.<\/li>\n<li>Children are like puppies, they both need to be disciplined.<\/li>\n<li>Fabric softener makes clothes extra soft because that\u2019s what it\u2019s for.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>\nBoth <strong>A<\/strong> and <strong>B<\/strong> are both of the examples of false analogies. People cannot ultimately be likened to dogs, and coffee beans do NOT belong in 15-bean soup. Option <strong>C<\/strong> is an example of circular reasoning.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"home-buttons\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/reading-comprehension\/\">Return to Reading Comprehension Videos<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Return to Reading Comprehension Videos<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":91192,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":{"0":"post-47096","1":"page","2":"type-page","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"page_category-reading-comprehension-videos","7":"page_category-video-pages-for-study-course-sidebar-ad","8":"page_type-video","9":"subject_matter-english"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/47096","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47096"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/47096\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":281753,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/47096\/revisions\/281753"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/91192"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47096"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}