Argumentation and Logical Fallacies

Think in terms of “claims and reasons”

Think in terms of evidence

Anticipate objections

Avoid Logical Fallacies

Claims are the portion of your essay that make
an assertion, offer an argument, or present a
hypothesis.

Reasons are the evidence you use to support
your claim

Critical thinking begins when you make sure that
all such major claims in a text are accompanied
by plausible supporting reasons in the same
sentence or adjoining material
CLAIMS
1.
Using a cellphone
while driving is
dangerous
2.
Playing video games
can improve
intelligence
REASONS
1.
because distractions
are a proven cause of
auto accidents
2.
if they teach young
gamers to make
logical decisions
quickly
Evidence is the researched information that
supports your claims and forms the foundation
of your reasons. When choosing evidence
consider:
 Reliability
 Importance
 Relevance
 Quality vs. Quantity

Critical thinking requires that we understand that all serious issues
have many dimensions—more than one side.

Those opposing you will likely have done their homework, and
understand not only their argument but yours.

If you keep this in mind when prewriting and preparing your
argument your essay will anticipate and acknowledge detractors
before they have the chance to challenge your position

It will increase your credibility.

Most importantly, you’ll have done the kind of thinking that makes
you smarter.
Make strong arguments by knowing
what weak ones look like…
Fallacies are the rhetorical moves that corrupt
solid reasoning.
They distract readers from the fact that there is
a weak, underdeveloped argument at the
essay’s core.
The use of fallacies undermines and destroys
the integrity of your writing.

Appeals to False

Straw Men
Authority

Slippery Slope

Ad Hominem Attacks
Arguments

Either/Or Choices

Band Wagon Appeals

Scare Tactics

Faulty Analogies

Emotional Appeals

Faulty Causality
An appeal to false authority happens when we
make claims based on information from
unreliable or biased sources.
Also it is important not to claim or exaggerate
your own authority or credentials.
Framing yourself as an honest, if amateur,
writer can even increase your credibility.
An Ad Hominem Attack happens when a writer
bolsters their position by attacking the personal
integrity when character really isn’t an issue.
EX: President Obama is untrustworthy because
he smokes cigarettes.
This argument suggests that President Obama’s
less admirable personal habits negatively affect his
ability to do his job.

An Either/Or Choice (also called the ”False Dilemma) is
used as a shortcut to winning an argument that reduces
complex situations to simplistic choices.

It attempts to trick readers into believing that there are
easy answers to complex problems.
EX: Either you are with us, or you’re against us!
This argument suggests that there are only TWO sides to an
issue: the right side and the wrong side. It negates the
possibility of ambiguity by forcing the reader to commit
100% either way.
A Scare Tactic happens when a writer makes
his/her appeals chiefly by raising fears.
EX:
This argument attempts to scare you into abstinence by
suggesting that sex—all sex—results in pregnancy, which results
in death.
An Emotional Appeal happens when a writer
ignores facts and logical reasoning in favor of
manipulating the readers’ emotions
EX:
This argument appeals to an
assumed universal love for
one’s children, and can/has
been used in response to
countless unrelated
arguments.
Faulty Causality happens when a writer willfully manipulates
the “Cause and Effect” thought process to simplify readers’
decision making.
Just because two events or phenomena occur close together
does not mean one caused the other
EX: The Bears started winning when Doug started wearing
his lucky bandana to work on Thursdays.
This argument suggests a connection between 2 simple,
unconnected events ignoring any provable evidence.
Straw Men are easy or habitual targets that
writers aim at to win arguments.
EX: I am not a feminist, because I don’t hate
This argument relies on an
men.
exaggerated fictional
example of a feminist, and
suggests that it is
representative of all
feminists and their beliefs
A Slippery-Slope Argument occurs when a writer warns
that one step off the path they’ve laid out for the
reader will result is complete disaster.
EX: If we change the definition of marriage to
include same sex marriages, it won’t be long before
people will want to marry their pets.
This argument suggests that
one small change will
immediately cause the
breakdown of society.
A Band Wagon Appeal (also called the “Safety in Numbers
Appeal”) happens when a writer suggests that EVERYONE
believes one thing.
This rhetorical move alienates the reader, and plays on an
individual’s innate need to belong.
EX:
The “Real Men” argument
suggests that everyone who
considers himself a “real man”
behaves a certain way.
Band Wagon Appeals largely
ignore the validity of individuality
and prey on feelings of insecurity
A Faulty Analogy happens when a writer attempts to
emphasize their argument by connecting two things based on
misleading, superficial, or implausible comparisons.
EX:
"Let me clarify, we have since 1973 had 55 million
abortions, so what we have going on is a baby holocaust.“
-Real quote by Jim-Bob Duggar from last week
This argument suggests that the legalization of
a woman’s right to choose whether or not she
terminates a pregnancy is just as horrendous
and tragic as the forced and institutionalized
genocide of the Jewish people in 1940s
Germany.