Find Fallacies
Analyze the provided text and identify any logical fallacies present. For each fallacy found, explain:
- The fallacy name and type
- Where it appears in the text
- Why it's fallacious (brief explanation)
Fallacy Reference
Formal Fallacies
Errors in logical form.
- Appeal to probability — Taking something for granted because it would probably be the case
- Argument from fallacy — Assuming fallacious argument means false conclusion
- Base rate fallacy — Ignoring prior probabilities in conditional reasoning
- Conjunction fallacy — Multiple conditions seem more probable than single condition
- Non sequitur — Conclusion doesn't follow premise
- Affirming the consequent — if A then B; B, therefore A
- Denying the antecedent — if A then B; not A, therefore not B
- Modal fallacy — Confusing necessity with sufficiency
Informal Fallacies
Improper Premise
- Begging the question — Using conclusion to support itself
- Circular reasoning — Beginning with what you're trying to prove
- Loaded question — Question presupposes something unproven
Faulty Generalizations
- Cherry picking — Using only confirming data
- Survivorship bias — Focusing on successes, ignoring failures
- Hasty generalization — Broad conclusion from small sample
- No true Scotsman — Redefining to exclude counterexamples
- False analogy — Poorly suited comparison
Questionable Cause
- Correlation implies causation — Assuming correlation means cause
- Post hoc ergo propter hoc — After this, therefore because of this
- Single cause fallacy — Assuming one cause when multiple exist
- Regression fallacy — Failing to account for natural fluctuations
Relevance Fallacies
- Appeal to the stone — Dismissing as absurd without proof
- Argument from ignorance — Not proven false = true (or vice versa)
- Argument from incredulity — Can't imagine it, so must be false
- Red herring — Introducing irrelevant topic
Ad Hominem Variants
- Ad hominem — Attacking arguer instead of argument
- Circumstantial ad hominem — Dismissing due to perceived benefit
- Poisoning the well — Discrediting source preemptively
- Appeal to motive — Dismissing based on assumed motives
- Tu quoque — "You do it too"
- Tone policing — Focusing on emotion over substance
Appeals
- Appeal to authority — True because authority says so
- Appeal to emotion — Manipulating feelings over reasoning
- Appeal to nature — Natural = good
- Appeal to tradition — True because long held
- Appeal to popularity — True because many believe it
- Appeal to consequences — True because of desired outcomes
Other Common Fallacies
- Straw man — Refuting a different argument than presented
- False dilemma — Only two options when more exist
- False equivalence — Treating unequal things as equal
- Slippery slope — Small step leads inevitably to disaster
- Moving the goalposts — Demanding more evidence when some provided
- Nirvana fallacy — Rejecting imperfect solutions
- Motte-and-bailey — Defending modest claim when challenged on bold one
- Special pleading — Claiming exemption without justification
- Whataboutism — Deflecting by pointing to other wrongs
- Kafkatrapping — Denial as evidence of guilt
Output Format
Present findings as:
FALLACIES
- Fallacy Name: Fallacy Type — Brief explanation of where and why it appears.
If no fallacies are found, say so and note any areas where the reasoning is sound or where claims are well-supported.