FALLACIES

• Complex Question
• Appeal to Force
• Appeal to Pity
COMPLEX QUESTION
COMPLEX QUESTION
-plurium interrogationum (Latin)
- Two or more Examples:
points are rolled
into one • “Have you stopped cheating on
exams?”
- Readers are
expected to • “Are you going to admit that you’re
accept both or wrong?”
reject both when
only one point
may be
satisfactory and
the other is not .
COMPLEX QUESTION
- A Question that Example:
has a
presupposition • “Have you stopped
built in beating your wife?”
- Implies something
but protects the
one asking
question of false
claims
LET’S IDENTIFY!
• “Is your stupidity inborn?” -FALLACY

• “Did Your misleading claims result

in you getting promoted?” -FALLACY
• “How long can you survive without
water?” -NOT A FALLACY
APPEAL TO FORCE
APPEAL TO FORCE
-argumentum ad baculum(Latin)
Description: When force,
coercion, or even a threat of
force is used in place of a
reason in an attempt to justify a
conclusion.
APPEAL TO FORCE
Logical Form:
- If you don’t accept X as true, I will (Punishment) you.
Examples:
• If you do not admit that evolution is not real, we will
isolate you from the group.
• If you do not let me win the race. I will make sure to not
let you run again.
APPEAL TO FORCE
Ways/Examples in which it is used for aguements:
• We need a strong military in order to deter our enemies. If you
don't support this new spending bill to develop better airplanes,
our enemies will think we are weak and, at some point, will attack
us - killing millions. Do you want to be responsible for the deaths
of millions, Senator?
* Not a direct threat but a psychological pressure.
APPEAL TO FORCE
Ways/Examples in which it is used for aguements:
• Secretary to boss: I deserve a raise in salary for the coming year.
After all, you know how friendly I am with your wife, and I'm sure
you wouldn't want her to find out what's been going on between
you and that sexpot client of yours.
* Not a physical violence but threatening personal relationship that
may result to destabilization.
APPEAL TO PITY
APPEAL TO PITY
-argumentum ad misericordiam (Latin)
Description: Occurs when the
element of pity is used instead
of logical reasoning
APPEAL TO PITY
Logical Forms:
- Person 1 is accused of Y, but person 1 is pathetic.
Therefore, person 1 is innocent
- X is true because person 1 worked really hard at
making X true.
Example:
Boss: 'You're late for work. I'm going to have to write you up.'

Employee: 'Please don't write me up. If I get fired I'll lose my house and not have any way to
feed my family.'
OTHER EXAMPLES:
• “I know I missed half your classes and failed all my quizzes and
assignments. First my cat died. Then my girlfriend told me she has found
someone else. With all I went through this semester. I don’t think I really
deserve an F. Any chance you might cut me some slack and change my
grade to a C or a D?”
• “It’s wrong to tax corporations– Think of all the money they give to charity,
and of the costs they already pay to run their businesses!”
KYU EN EY