Logical Fallacies

distorting an opposing position into an extreme version of itself and then arguing against that extreme version. In creating a straw man argument, the arguer strips the opposing point of view of any nuance and often misrepresents it in a negative light.

Equivocation, aka “calling two different things by the same name,” is the logical fallacy of using a word or phrase in an argument either:

• In an ambiguous way


• To mean two or more things

Here’s an example:

Salad is healthy, and taco salad is a salad. Therefore, taco salad is healthy.

Ad Hominem

(Attacking the person): This fallacy occurs when, instead of addressing someone's argument or position, you irrelevantly attack the person or some aspect of the person who is making the argument. The fallacious attack can also be direct to membership in a group or institution.

Literally translating as 'you too' this fallacy is also known as the appeal to hypocrisy. It is commonly employed as an effective red herring because it takes the heat off someone having to defend their argument, and instead shifts the focus back on to the person making the criticism.

Example: Nicole identified that Hannah had committed a logical fa... See more

The bandwagon fallacy, also known as the appeal to the masses or appeal to common belief fallacy, is the logical fallacy of claiming that something is true because everyone believes it. Whether that belief is actually true or not doesn’t matter—if an arguer claims that a position is true because it’s popular, the arguer is using the bandwagon falla... See more

A red herring is a misleading statement, question, or argument meant to redirect a conversation away from its original topic.

Person 1: I think we should mute debaters’ microphones when it’s their opponents’ turns to speak so they can’t interrupt each other.

Person 2: I disagree because I support free speech.