Types of

logical
fallacies
FACT is concrete,
that can be
proven.

Facts are the

truth and accepted
as such.
 Opinion is less
concrete. It’s a
view formed in the
mind of a person
about a particular
issue.
What is a fallacy?
are common errors in reasoning
that will undermine the logic of
“
your argument. Fallacies can be
either illegitimate arguments or
irrelevant points, and are often
identified because they lack
evidence that supports their
claim.
 Hasty Generalization

This is a conclusion based on insufficient or

biased evidence. In other words, you are
rushing to a conclusion before you have all the
relevant facts.
 Red Herring
This is a diversionary tactic that
avoids the key issues, often by
avoiding opposing arguments
rather than addressing them.
 Appeal to emotions
(Argument from pity)
It is an argument used by
people who wants to win
people over by manipulating
their emotions.
For example:

Candidate A who has been

reported to be involved in
massive corruption of public
funds, would pay high rates
of advertisement in the
media portraying him as a
poor and suffering man.

“NALILIGO KA BA SA
DAGAT NG BASURA?” ---
Manny Villar
 Argumentum Ad
hominem
(Against the person)
This is an attack on the
character of a person rather
than his or her opinions or
arguments.
 Argumentum Ad
hominem
(Against the person)

Ad hominem is Latin for

“against the man.”
 Argumentum Ad
Ignorantiam
(Appeal to ignorance)
whatever has not been
proved false must be
true, and vice versa.
 Argumentum Ad
Populum
(Appeal to the people)
This argument is a favourite
marketing strategy by advertising
agencies. Used by appealing to the
popular sentiments of the public.
Example:

“Belo” products claims they

are more effective than other
brands through endorsement
of Actor/Actress.
 Equivocation
This is a logical chain of
reasoning of a term or a word
several times, but giving the
particular word a different
meaning each time.
Example:

Human beings have hands; the

clock has hands.

He is drinking from the pitcher of

water; he is a baseball pitcher.
Argumentum Ad Baculum
(Appeal to force)
An argument used by people
who want to win a conflict by
issuing threats to their
opponents.
Example:

A student raises a critical question to

his math teacher. The teacher gets
upset with the question, and insists
that there is nothing wrong with what
he taught, and insinuates that if
students would question him further
then the whole class will be getting a
harder final exam.
 Straw Man
This move oversimplifies an
opponent's viewpoint and
then attacks that hollow
argument.
 Appeal to Tradition
Assumes something is good
or true because it’sld, or the
way it’s “always been done”.
Logical Fallacies Activity

Goals: To discuss logical fallacies and to illustrate the importance of logically

sound arguments

Have students read about logical fallacies for homework.

Conduct a brief review, ideally one that includes examples, of common fallacies.

As a group activity, have students “sell” a product* using as many

fallacies as they can. Encourage students to go overboard here to make the
fallacies as outrageous and therefore transparent as possible. While (or after)
each group presents, the other class members should try to identify the fallacies.
An option is to keep score and award a prize to the “team” naming the most
fallacies or naming them the fastest.

One way to conclude this activity is to discuss the importance of logically sound
arguments, whether they be written or part of a “commercial.”

*Cleaning products or products that invoke ideals (like patriotism,

environmentalism or concepts like The Great Outdoors) work particularly well for
this activity.
References
Fallacy. Literary Devices.net, https://literarydevices.net/fallacy/.
Accessed 8 March 2017.

Logical Fallacies Handlist. Carson-Newman Uniiversity,

https://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/fallacies_list.html. Accessed 8
March 2017

Weber, Ryan and Allen Brizee. Purdue Owl, 2013,

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/659/03/. Accessed 8
March 2017.