Fallacies:Fallacies:Hasty Generalization, Ad Hasty Generalization, Ad Hominem, and Appeals to Hominem, and Appeals to

Popular OpinionPopular Opinion

By Hannah LebovitzBy Hannah Lebovitz

What are fallacies?What are fallacies?

Fallacies are logical flaws in the Fallacies are logical flaws in the reasoning processreasoning process

Used to identify weaknesses in Used to identify weaknesses in argumentsarguments

Hasty GeneralizationsHasty Generalizations

Making quick assumptions that are Making quick assumptions that are later proved wronglater proved wrong

Conclusions are based on incomplete Conclusions are based on incomplete and insufficient evidenceand insufficient evidence

Examples: making assumptions Examples: making assumptions based on first impressionsbased on first impressions

Ad Hominem ArgumentsAd Hominem Arguments

Arguments are made against the Arguments are made against the person instead of their argumentsperson instead of their arguments

Ad hominemAd hominem – “against the man” – “against the man” Examples: politicians attacking each Examples: politicians attacking each

other’s characterother’s character

Appeals to Popular OpinionAppeals to Popular Opinion

Suggest something is true because Suggest something is true because everyone thinks it iseveryone thinks it is

““Bandwagon fallacy”Bandwagon fallacy” Examples: politicians relying on Examples: politicians relying on

popular opinion polls to help them popular opinion polls to help them make decisionsmake decisions

QuizQuiz "You can't trust Jones' theory of electromagnetic particles "You can't trust Jones' theory of electromagnetic particles

because he's a communist." because he's a communist."

Argumentum ad hominem

Smith, who is from England, decides to attend graduate school at Ohio State University. He has never been to the US before. The day after he arrives, he is walking back from an orientation session and sees two white (albino) squirrels chasing each other around a tree. In his next letter home, he tells his family that American squirrels are white. Hasty generalization

"All I'm saying is that millions of people believe in astrology, so there must be something to it."

Appeal to popular opinion

The EndThe End