An Introduction to Fallacies

Fallacies are flawed arguments that can seem good even to capable reasoners. They come in two types: formal fallacies, which involve structural errors, and informal fallacies, which rely on weak or irrelevant evidence. Learning to spot fallacies is important. When left unchecked, not only do fallacies undermine our own reasoning, but they can also derail cooperative endeavors, such as scientific research, technological innovation, or any other activity whose success requires that we reason well together. 

Topics

  • ad hominem fallacy
  • affirming the consequent
  • appeal to ignorance
  • argument
  • fallacious argument
  • fallacy
  • fallacy of relevance
  • fallacy of weak evidence
  • formal fallacy
  • hasty generalization
  • high school
  • informal fallacy
  • invalid
  • invalidity
  • logical form
  • modus ponens
  • reasoning
  • red herring fallacy
  • scientific reasoning
  • slippery slope fallacy
  • strawman fallacy
  • valid
  • validity