Lauren Rebuth

ENG101
October 20 2014
Ch5 Outline
Fallacies of Argument

Intro: Fallacies- arguments that are flawed by their very nature or structure
I Fallacies of Emotional Argument
A: Scare Tactics
1. Scaring people an exaggerating dangers work because it is easier to imagine
something terrible happening (used a lot by politicians, public figures, and
advertisers).
2. Can be used to stampede fears into prejudice or panic. People can be
convinced scared, or just stop listening.
B: Either-Or Choices
1. Simplify arguments by giving them power and reducing complicated issues to
two options (ex: Obama arguing economic policies).
2. Parents use them all the time.
3. Can become fallacious arguments when they obscure legitimate alternatives.

C: Slippery Slope
1. Slippery slope- portrays todays tiny misstep as tomorrows slide into disaster.
Exaggerated consequences of an action to frighten readers.
D: Overly Sentimental Appeals
1. Sentimental Appeals- Use emotion excessively to distract readers from facts.
2. Often are personal and focus on heartwarming or heart wrenching situations.
3. Emotions can keep people from thinking clearly.
4. Ex: college kids in a tough economy showing their struggles on tv
E: Bandwagon Appeals
1. Bandwagon appeals- urge people to follow same path everyone else is taking.
2. Not thinking independently, but dependently.
3. Major Topics include: drugs, marriage, immigration
II Fallacies of Ethical Argument
1. Writers want to gain an audience, by being likeable, honest, informed and
reliable.
F: Appeals to False Authority
1. Occurs when writers offer themselves as sufficient warrant for believing a
claim (ex This is true because I say so.
2. Can drive political campaigns.
3. Pay attention to peoples claims.

G: Dogmatism
1. Writers who assume that a position on something is the only one that is
acceptable
2. Implies no arguments are necessary, the truth is evident and needs no support.
H: Ad Hominem Arguments
1. Attacks the character of a person rather than the claims they make.
2. Destroys credibility of your opponents.
3. Turns arguments into good guys vs. bad guys.
I: Stacking the Deck
1. Writers show only the side of the story thats in their favor.
2. Ex: McDonalds documentary film
3. It is important to show alternatives in an argument
III Fallacies of Logical Argument
Logical Fallacies seem reasonable and natural
J: Hasty Generalization
1. Inference drawn from insufficient evidence.
2. Forms the basis for most stereotypes
3. Ex: If my Honda broke down then all Hondas must be junk
K: Faulty Causality

1. Because one event or action follows another, the first causes the second.
L: Begging the Question
1. Claims themselves are in a question
2. The argument that goes to nowhere
M: Equivocation
1. Give lies and an honest appearance, half truths.
2. Based on tricks of language
3. Ex: Plagiarism
N: Non Sequiture
1. Claims reasons or warrants do not connect logically
2. Children use it a lot
3. You dont love me so you will not buy me this..
O: Straw Man
1. Attacking an argument that isnt really there.
2. Creating an argument thats easy to knock down
3. Ex: Glenn Beck
P: Red Herring
1. Changes subject to throw the listeners off trail
Q: Faulty Analogy

1. Inaccurate comparisons between objects or concepts

2. Ex: No matter how hard Brittney tries, she is not Madonna