LOGICAL

FALLACIES

Abhishek Agarwal-HI6061
Arpitha Shetty-H16070
Arunabha Aich-H16071
Jeevan C Raghu-H16081
Sanya Raj Bharadwaj-H16101
Sriram Majeti-H16111
 What is a logical fallacy?
An error of reasoning

Lack of evidence to support claim

Formal logical fallacies:

Proof by example
Overgeneralizations
False premises leading to false conclusions

Informal logical fallacies:

Logically valid
Misleading technical structure

1
 Type of Fallacies

Relevance Ambiguity Presumptio

Usage of premises Lack of clarity
which are irrelevant or
n
Errors in Inductive
to the argument at usage of ambiguous
or
hand words
Deductive reasoning

2
Fallacies of Ambiguity
These type of fallacies are caused by lack of clarity or usage of ambiguous words
Hasty generalization
Jumping to conclusions

Description:
Drawing a conclusion based on a small sample size,
rather than looking at statistics that are much more in
line with the normal scenarios

Logical form:
Sample S is taken from population P.
Sample S is a very small part of population P.
Conclusion C is drawn from sample S.

3
Begging the Question

Description:
Any form of argument where the conclusion is
included in the premise

Logical form :
Claim X assumes X is true.
Therefore, claim X is true.

4
 The Texas Sharpshooter
False Cause

Description:
This fallacy establishes a cause/effect relationship that
does not exist

Non Causa Pro Causa (Not the cause for the cause)
Event A is related to event B.
Event A caused event B.

Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc (After this because of this)

Event A happened.
Event B happened after A.
Therefore, A caused B

5
Fallacies of Presumption
These type of fallacies occur due to gaps in inductive / deductive reasoning
Accent fallacy

Description:
Using an ambiguous word in different contexts to make
the argument misleading

The meaning of a set of words may be dramatically

changed by the way they are spoken, without changing
any of the words themselves.

6
Equivocation

Description:
Using an ambiguous word in different contexts to make
the argument misleading

7
Strawman Argument

Description:
An attempt to "prove" an argument by overstating,
exaggerating, or over-simplifying the arguments of the
opposing side.

Logical form:
Person 1 makes claim Y.
Person 2 restates person 1s claim (in a distorted way).
Person 2 attacks the distorted version of the claim.
Therefore, claim Y is false.

8
 Fallacies of Relevance
These fallacies are caused using premises which are irrelevant to the argument at hand
Weak Analogy

Description:
When an analogy is used to prove or disprove an
argument, but the analogies are not strongly linked

Logical form:
X is like Y.
Y has property P.
Therefore, X has property P.
(but X really is not too much like Y)

9
Bandwagon
Argumentum ad Populum

Description:
It asserts that, since the majority of people believes an
argument / chooses a particular course of action, the
argument must be true, or the course of action must
be followed.

Logical form:
A lot of people believe X.
Therefore, X must be true.

10
 Where do we see Logical Fallacies

Everyday
Conversation
Sharmas son can do it, so you
can also do it.
Debate
The nation wants to know

Superstition
Co

Theologists are atheists for every

Ev ersa
nv

other religion than their own

ery tio
da n
y
De

Politics
Su

ba

Bhakts worship God. Narendra

p

te
er

Modi has lot of Bhakts.

sti
t
Po

ion

Media
lit
Me

Axe effect
s ic
di
a

11
In case you are awake
Any questions ??