Logical Fallacies

1. Hasty Conclusion: Coming to a conclusion without providing adequate support for it

*Famines in developing countries are usually the result of civil war, not overpopulation.

2. False dichotomy/dilemma: Implying there are only 2 options—yours and a negative option

*We can continue to drive & eventually destroy the planet, or we can all start riding bikes.

*You’re either with us or you’re against us.

3. False Analogy: Comparison between two things that are not comparable

*Money & non-renewable resources (¶s 8-10)

*Resource Depletion and Pollution (¶ 10)

4. Red Herring: An irrelevant issue that sidetracks the reader from the main argument

*Why should we worry about the emissions individuals create when legislators aren’t doing anything about the real problem—industry!

*If I can fight in a war, I should be able to drink.

*Resource Depletion and Pollution (¶ 10)

5. Begging the Question/Circular Argument:

· Speaking a lot, but not answering the question

· Using circular statements to prove a point

*Violent video games are detrimental because they expose our children to violence.

*Civil war is the cause of famine, not overpop (¶5).

6. Sweeping Generalization: Making a generalization from only one or two examples

*“SUVs are bought primarily by people […] whose most rugged athletic event is hauling the kids to soccer practice” (Goodman 150).

*Living standards higher; greater prosperity (¶4)

7. Non-Sequitur: “It does not follow.”

Just because X doesn’t mean Y.

*TARP: Just because we give banks money, it does not follow that they will use it to give people loans.

*Just because we have more people, it does not follow that we will have more geniuses (¶ 11).

*Even if we have more geniuses, it does not follow that they will feel responsible for the planet (¶11).

8. Post hoc, ergo propter hoc: Assuming that because 1 thing happened first, it caused the other.

*The violent crime rate has decreased 30^% since the advent of video games, so video games…

*Civil wars preceded famine, so civil wars triggered famine (¶6).