Axia College Material

Appendix C
Categorizing Fallacies
Categorize each fallacy statement by copying and pasting it into the text box adjacent to its
matching fallacy type.

Fallacy Statements

1. It takes someone with a really big heart to give to our charity, and you seem like someone
who cares more than most.

2. On a radio ad: “Have you been fatigued, irritable, moody? If these symptoms are ignored, you
might become depressed or even suicidal! Ward off the blues by taking a pill proven to cheer
you up. Millions of people have, and they’re glad they did!”

3. From a study group member: “I just don’t get it. One minute she says she’s coming, and then
the next, she calls to cancel. I wonder if we can trust that the articles she submitted are what
we need!”

4. You’re going out with Carron? Well, she’s a nice person, but I hear her last relationship was a
wreck! I’d be careful if I were you.

5. About an already-attractive home interior: “I don’t know why we started this home renovation
if we’re only doing two of the rooms. Either way, it won’t look right unless we redo the entire
house.”

6. Stomachache or not, how could you not eat your dinner after I spent all that time making it!

7. I don’t care if she is the top psychiatrist in the state! Her theory on sibling rivalry is extreme.
How can we believe anything she says if she subscribes to theories of that nature?

8. From one politician about another: “He’s a two-faced, liberal, anti-family, anti-values idealist!”

9. My friend, who goes to college in another state, said girls from that sorority are mean. That
girl we just met, Tracy, is from the same sorority, so I don’t trust her.

10. From a teenager confronted by his parent about breaking curfew: “Why do we have to keep
harping on this curfew thing? Let’s talk about that A grade I’m getting in algebra.”

11. From one mom to another: “I can’t believe Shelia lets her kids watch that garbage! I always
knew she wasn’t very strict. Now our kids will be over there watching that junk, too!”

14. It’s disgraceful that a member of the Elks Lodge would go out to fast food restaurants every
night. The Elks believe in family values, including home-cooked meals.

Fallacy Type Fallacy Statement

Ad hominem/genetic 9. My friend, who goes to college in another state, said girls

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 from that sorority are mean. That girl we just met, Tracy, is
from the same sorority, so I don’t trust her.

Taking the word of someone out if It’s true or not

Wishful thinking 15. Sure, I’ve heard that it’s better to not eat cheeseburgers
every day, but it’s extra protein and protein is good for you.

Putting to much trust into what they want to be true. Instead

of the facts of the situation.

“Argument” from
popularity 13. If it weren’t for the president’s environmental policy, we
wouldn’t be dealing with these environmental catastrophes.

Believing in ones word over the facts of the issue.

Hasty generalizing 12. From a conspiracy theorist: “Come on, everyone knows that
the government has lied to us in the past. This case isn’t any
different.”

The fact that two things, are alike in some ways, is not by
itself a reason, to think there alike in some other ways.

“Argument” from
outrage 11. From one mom to another: “I can’t believe Shelia lets her kids
watch that garbage! I always knew she wasn’t very strict.
Now our kids will be over there watching that junk, too!”

This argument indentify the person has distorted their real

position and blame everything else on them

Straw man
14. It’s disgraceful that a member of the Elks Lodge would go out
to fast food restaurants every night. The Elks believe in family
values, including home-cooked meals.

It is the distortion and exaggeration of the views of others

Post hoc 8. From one politician about another: “He’s a two-faced, liberal,
anti-family, anti-values idealist!”

Post hoc usually explains the reasoning in terms of simple

minded examples of cause and effect on easy simple answers

Red 10. From a teenager confronted by his parent about breaking

herring/smokescree curfew: “Why do we have to keep harping on this curfew
n thing? Let’s talk about that A grade I’m getting in algebra.”

“ The attention span” since it seems to work best on listeners

and readers who are unable to stay focused on an issue
when they are temped, by distractions.

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Group think . From a study group member: “I just don’t get it. One minute
she says she’s coming, and then the next, she calls to
cancel. I wonder if we can trust that the articles she
submitted are what we need!”

Because the prevailing view in many can see our loyalty to

the group can affect, their judgment in ways that range from
amusing to dangerous.

Scare tactics 2. On a radio ad: “Have you been fatigued, irritable, moody? If
these symptoms are ignored, you might become depressed
or even suicidal! Ward off the blues by taking a pill proven to
cheer you up. Millions of people have, and they’re glad they
did!”

Fear can often provide a perfectly reasonable motivation that

some frightening thing will result from what their being told

Poisoning the well 4. You’re going out with Carron? Well, she’s a nice person, but I
hear her last relationship was a wreck! I’d be careful if I were
you.

A unfavorable information about someone you may incline to

reject due to what you are told about them.

Apple polishing 1. It takes someone with a really big heart to give to our
charity, and you seem like someone who cares more
than most.

Allowing praise of oneself to substitute for judgment

about the truth of a claim

Guilt trip 6. Stomachache or not, how could you not eat your dinner after
I spent all that time making it!

Eliciting felling of guilt to get others to do or not to do

something or to accept the view (should or should not do it)

Perfectionist fallacy 5. About an already-attractive home interior: “I don’t know why

we started this home renovation if we’re only doing two of the
rooms. Either way, it won’t look right unless we redo the
entire house.”

When something or someone is rejected due to it not being

perfect

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Inconsistency ad 7. I don’t care if she is the top psychiatrist in the state! Her
hominem theory on sibling rivalry is extreme. How can we believe
anything she says if she subscribes to theories of that
nature?

Inconsistent with something else, therefore claims of belief,

opinion, theory, stand refuted. The fact that people changed
their minds has no bearing on the truth of what they say,
either before or after a persons claim.

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