Logical Fallacy   Definition   Examples  

Ad Hominem  Attacking a person or their  Example 1:​ If this flag offends you 
character, rather than their  its because your team sucks.  
argument or reasoning.   Example 2: ​That's not an AD 
Hominem You idiot  

Ad Populum  Attempting to swap popular  Example 1: ​McDonald’s Over 99 

support by appealing to  Billion served.  
sentimental weakness, rather  Example 2​:​ ​50,000,00 Elvis fans 
than with facts.   can’t be wrong. 

Appeal to Authority   Arguing that since an authority  Example 1:​ Don't believe 
(not necessarily an expert in the  everything you see on the internet 
matter, either) thinks something,  because there is a picture next to 
it must be true.  it.  
Example 2: ​Trump Steaks, The 
worlds greatest steaks.  

Appeal to Ignorance   Asserting a claim is true because  Example 1: ​What more evidence 
it has not yet been proven false.  do we need that homeschoolers 
are hiding something.  
Example 2:​ People died of cancer 
before cigarettes were invented 
therefore smoking does not cause 
cancer.  

Appeal to Fear   Attempting to create support for  Example 1: ​You will never worry 
an idea using deception and  about lipstick on your teeth again.  
propaganda in attempts to  Example 2:​ Not everyone who gets 
increase fear and prejudice  hit by a drunk driver dies.  
towards the competition.  

Bandwagon  Stating that something is true  Example 1​: Everybody else is doing 
because most people think it is  it.  
true.   Example 2​: Nearest Recruiting 
Station  

Black/White; Either/Or  Saying that there are only two  Example 1​: You are either with us 
options when there are several  or against us 
more.   Example 2​: Obey Jesus or Perish  

Circular Reasoning   Using reasoning that has not been  Example 1: ​According to the brain 
proven true to prove something  it is something that you must 
that is true. Then using other  have. 
reasoning to support the claim.   Example 2: ​Sally never lies 
 because she told us.  

Faulty Analogy   Assuming that two things are  Example 1: ​If you give water to 
alike in one respect, they are alike  your plants than why do you give 
in all respects.    soda to your children 
Example 2: ​Son had a vaccine and 
got autism so the vaccine caused 
autism 

Hasty Generalization   Using small numbers or  Example 1: ​If ISIS is Muslims then 
percentages to represent the  Westboro Baptist Church 
whole.   represents all Christians. 
Example 2: ​There sure are a lot of 
guys in that car. They’re probably 
Mexicans  

Moral Equivalence   Arguing that serious wrongdoings  Example 1:​ If I were Arab, the 
are the same as minor offenses;  shooting would be terrorism, if I 
comparison that doesn’t work  was black I would be a thug, and I 
because one problem/decision is  was white it would be mental 
far greater or worse than the  illness.  
other.   Example 2: ​You can't take that it's 
stealing. They steal in baseball all 
the time. You have a point. 

Nor Sequiter   Making a conclusion that doesn’t  Example 1​: Never give up… keep 
follow based on the evidence.   on shopping.  
Example 2:​ My ancestors ate 
meat. My ancestors had mullets 
doesn't mean I’m going to do that.  

Red Herring   Diverting attention from  Example 1: ​In order to really look 
something (usually something the  at the problem of global warming, 
arguer wants to avoid) by  we must first consider how the 
changing the subject to something  homeless suffer when it is cold.  
else.   Example 2: ​I work sixty hours a 
week to support my family, and I 
pay my taxes. You can’t give me a 
parking ticket.  

Slippery Slope   Arguing that if one thing happens,  Example 1: ​School is killing us. 
a series of bad things will follow.   Textbooks are made from paper, 
paper are made from trees, we 
need trees for oxygen. Thus school 
is killing us.  
Example 2: ​Don’t lose your pen, 
you will die.  
Straw Man  Misrepresenting a scenario, then  Example 1:​ How can you convict 
attacking that to make the  this man of murdering his mother? 
opponent to look bad.   He’s an orphan! 
Example 2: ​Monsanto’s Aspartame 
& Phenylalanine Business is now 
owned by Pfizer (Listerine).