Logical Fallacies (तर् दोष)

Definition (परिभाषा):

A fallacy is a mistake in reasoning or argument that makes the argument invalid or

weak.
Fallacy वह तर् दोष होता है जो करसी तर् रो अवैध या रमजोि बना दे ता है ।

Types of Fallacies (तर् दोषो रे पराि)

1. Formal Fallacies (औपचारिर तर् दोष)
Definition (परिभाषा):
Formal fallacies occur due to an error in the structure or form of the argument.
जब तर् री संिचना या रप मे तर् ु होती है , तो उसे औपचारिर तर् दोष रहते है।

➡ These fallacies occur in deductive arguments.

➡ ये दोष सामानयतत ननगमनातमर तर् मे पाए जाते है।

Examples of Formal Fallacies (औपचारिर तर् दोष रे उदाहिण)

(i) Affirming the Consequent
Form:
If A, then B
B is true
Therefore, A is true ❌ (Invalid)

Example (उदाहिण):
If it rains, the streets will be wet.
The streets are wet.
Therefore, it rained. ❌
(Maybe someone washed the street.)

Hindi Example:
अगि बारिश होती है , तो सडर गीली होगी।
सडर गीली है ।
इसललए बारिश ह्ई। ❌

(ii) Denying the Antecedent

Form:
If A, then B
Not A
Therefore, not B ❌ (Invalid)

Example:
If I am in Delhi, then I am in India.
I am not in Delhi.
Therefore, I am not in India. ❌

Hindi Example:
अगि मै रदलली मे हूँ, तो मै भाित मे हूँ।
मै रदलली मे नहीं हूँ।
इसललए मै भाित मे नहीं हूँ। ❌

2. Informal Fallacies (अनौपचारिर तर् दोष)

Definition (परिभाषा):
These occur due to errors in reasoning, content, or context rather than structure.
यह तर् दोष तर् री सामगी या पसंग मे तर् ु रे रािण होते है, न कर उसरी संिचना मे ।

➡ These are common in everyday conversations and inductive arguments.

➡ ये दोष सामानयतत अन्गमनातमर तर् औि दै ननर बातचीत मे होते है।

Types & Examples of Informal Fallacies (अनौपचारिर तर् दोष रे पराि औि उदाहिण)
(i) Ad Hominem (व्यक्त् हमला)
Attacking the person instead of the argument.

Example:
You can’t trust his argument on health—he’s a smoker. ❌

Hindi:
तम
् उसरे सवाससय तर् पि ववशवास नहीं रि सरते—वो खद ू पान रिता है । ❌
् धम

(ii) Strawman (कृत्म ्क्)

Misrepresenting someone’s argument to make it easier to attack.

Example:
A: We should have stricter gun control.
B: So you want to ban all guns and leave us defenseless?

Hindi Example:
A: हमे बंदर
ू ो पि सखत ननयंतण िखना चारहए।
B: तो त्म रहना चाहते हो कर हमे सब बंदर
ू े छीन लेनी चारहए?
(iii) Appeal to Ignorance (अजाञ पर आधारर् ्क्)
Claiming something is true just because it hasn’t been proven false.

Example:
No one has proved aliens don’t exist, so they must exist.

Hindi Example:
रोई यह लसदध नहीं रि पाया कर एललयंस नहीं है, इसललए वे जरि है।

(iv) False Cause (झूठा कारण)

Assuming that because one thing follows another, it was caused by it.

Example:
I wore my lucky shirt and then won the lottery. The shirt caused it!

Hindi:
मैने अपनी लरी शु् पहनी औि लॉुिी जीत गया। ये शु् री वजह से ह्आ!

(v) Slippery Slope (ढलाञ ्क्)

Arguing that a small first step will lead to a chain of related events with negative
outcomes.

Example:
If we allow students to redo exams, soon no one will study in the first place.

Hindi Example:
अगि हमने छातो रो किि से पिीका दे ने दी, तो किि रोई पढे गा ही नहीं।

One-Liner Questions: Types of Fallacies (तर् दोष रे

पररक)

No. Question (English) Hindi (हिंदी मे प्) Answer (उतक)

Errors in
तर्कशा मे fallacy क्श होतश
1 What are fallacies in logic? reasoning (तर्
है?
दोष)
How many broad types of Fallacy रे करतने मुख् Two (Formal &
2
fallacies are there? परशक होते है? Informal)
Which fallacy is based on the करस fallacy रश संबंध तर् री Formal fallacy
3 (औपचशरकर दोष)
structure of argument? संकचनश से होतश है?
Which fallacy is based on करस fallacy रश संबंध तर् री Informal fallacy
4 content or context of (अनौपचशरकर दोष)
सशमग् ्श पसंस से होतश है?
reasoning?
No. Question (English) Hindi (हिंदी मे प्) Answer (उतक)
"्कद A तो B, B सत् है,
“If A then B, B is true, so A is इसकिए A सत् है" — ्ह करस Affirming the
5
true” is an example of? consequent
fallacy रश उदशहकण है?
"्कद A तो B, A असत् है,
“If A then B, A is false, so B is इसकिए B असत् है" — ्ह Denying the
6
false” is which fallacy? antecedent
रौन-सश fallacy है?
व्कक पक हमिश रकनश, न कर
Attacking the person, not the तर् पक — ्ह रौन-स्
7 Ad Hominem
argument, is called?
fallacy है?
तर् रो तोड-मकोड रक पेक
Misrepresenting an argument रकनश करस परशक री fallacy
8 Strawman fallacy
to attack it is which fallacy?
है?
"इसरश खंडन नही हु आ, इसकिए
“No proof it’s false, so it must ्ह सत् है" — ्ह करस Appeal to
9
be true” is which fallacy? Ignorance
fallacy रश उदशहकण है?
Assuming X causes Y just रेवि इस रशकण कर X पहिे
10 because X came before Y is आ्श, वह Y रश रशकण है — False Cause
called? ्ह रौन-स् fallacy है?
"If we allow this, it will lead to "असक हमने ्ह कर्श, तो बहु त
11 disaster" reflects which बुकश होसश" — ्ह रौन-स् Slippery Slope
fallacy? fallacy है?
Which fallacy involves िोरकप्तश ्श बहु संख्र रे
12 appealing to popularity or आधशक पक तर् देनश रौन-स् Ad Populum
majority? fallacy है?
डक रश प्ोस तर् रे स्शन पक
Using fear instead of reason रकनश करस fallacy मे आतश
13 Appeal to Fear
is called which fallacy?
है?
A fallacy due to ambiguous कबदद री असपपतश ्श क्अ्् तश
14 words or double meaning is रे रशकण होने वशि् fallacy रो Equivocation
called? क्श रहते है?
Saying "it’s always been done "हमे कश से ऐसे ह् होतश आ्श है" Appeal to
15
this way" is which fallacy? — ्ह रौन-स् fallacy है? Tradition

equivocation example
Premise 1: A feather is light.
Premise 2: What is light cannot be dark.
Conclusion: Therefore, a feather cannot be dark.
Here, "light" is used to mean weight in the first
premise and color in the second.
20 Types of Logical Fallacies (्क् दोष /
हे त्ाााा)

1. Ad Hominem (व्यक्त् हमला)

Definition: Attacking the person instead of the argument.

उदाहरण: "Don't believe his theory on climate change; he's not even a scientist."
हहंदी: "उसरे जलवाय् परिवत्न लसदधांत पि मत जाओ, वो वैजाननर ही नहीं है ।"

2. Strawman (कृत्म ्क्)

Definition: Misrepresenting someone's argument to make it easier to attack.

Example: "He wants to reduce military spending, so he must hate our troops."
हहंदी: "वह िका खच् घुाना चाहता है , मतलब वह सैननरो से निित रिता है ।"

3. Appeal to Ignorance (अजाञ पर आधारर् ्क्)

Definition: Claiming something is true because it hasn’t been proven false.

Example: "Aliens must exist; no one has proven they don't."
हहंदी: "एललयंस जरि है, कयोकर करसी ने यह साबबत नहीं करया कर वे नहीं है।"

4. False Cause (झूठा कारण)

Definition: Assuming that because two things happened, one caused the other.
Example: "I sneezed and then the power went out. My sneeze caused the outage!"
हहंदी: "मेिे छींरते ही बबजली चली गई, इसरा मतलब मेिी छींर से गई।"

5. Slippery Slope (ढलाञ ्क्)

Definition: Arguing that one small step will inevitably lead to extreme outcomes.
Example: "If we allow video games, next kids will stop studying entirely."
हहंदी: "अगि हमने बचचो रो वीडियो गेम खेलने रदया, तो वे पढाई ही छोड दे गे।"
6. Circular Reasoning (चक्ा् ्क्)

Definition: The conclusion is used as a premise.

Example: "The Bible is true because it says so in the Bible."
हहंदी: "भगवद गीता सही है कयोकर उसमे ललखा है कर यह सही है ।"

7. Hasty Generalization (जलददााज मे नञषकष्)

Definition: Making a conclusion based on insufficient evidence.

Example: "Two students cheated, so the whole class is dishonest."
हहंदी: "दो छातो ने नरल री, मतलब पूिी कलास बेईमान है ।"

8. Red Herring (ध्ाञ ाटकाञे ्ाला ्क्)

Definition: Introducing irrelevant information to distract.

Example: "Why worry about pollution when unemployment is high?"
हहंदी: "पदष
ू ण री चचंता कयो रिे जब बेिोजगािी जयादा है ?"

9. False Dichotomy (झूठा द्व् व्कलप)

Definition: Presenting two options as the only possibilities.

Example: "You're either with us or against us."
हहंदी: "या तो त्म हमािे साथ हो या हमािे खखलाि।"

10. Appeal to Authority (पामामणक्ा की अपजल)

Definition: Using an unqualified source as evidence.

Example: "A celebrity said it, so it must be true."
हहंदी: "सेललब्ुी ने रहा है , इसललए यह सच है ।"
11. Bandwagon (ाजड का ्क्)

Definition: Arguing that something is true or right because everyone else does it.
Example: "Everyone is investing in crypto, so you should too."
हहंदी: "सभी क्रुो मे ननवेश रि िहे है, इसललए त्महे भी रिना चारहए।"

12. Post Hoc (दाद की घटञा को कारण माञञा)

Definition: Confusing sequence with cause.

Example: "After the rooster crowed, the sun rose. Therefore, the rooster caused the
sun to rise."
हहंदी: "म्गा् बोला औि सूिज ननरला, मतलब म्गा् सूिज रो ननरालता है ।"

13. Appeal to Tradition (परं परा का ्क्)

Definition: Arguing something is right because it's traditional.

Example: "We’ve always done it this way, so it must be best."
हहंदी: "हम हमेशा ऐसा रिते आए है, इसललए यह सबसे सही है ।"

14. Appeal to Emotion (ाा्ञातमक अपजल)

Definition: Manipulating emotions instead of logic.

Example: "If you love me, you’ll agree with me."
हहंदी: "अगि त्म म्झसे रयाि रिते हो, तो मेिी बात मानोगे।"

15. Equivocation (असपषट्ा का ्क्)

Definition: Using ambiguous language to mislead.

Example: "A feather is light. Light cannot be dark. So a feather cannot be dark."
हहंदी: "पंख हलरा होता है, हलरा अंधेिा नहीं हो सरता, इसललए पंख अंधेिा नहीं हो
सरता।"
16. No True Scotsman (ाचचे उदाहरण को इञकार करञा)

Definition: Changing the definition to dismiss exceptions.

Example: "No true patriot would criticize the country."
हहंदी: "सचचा दे शभकत दे श री आलोचना नहीं रिे गा।"

17. Burden of Proof (ााक् का दोझ उलटा डालञा)

Definition: Saying the other side must disprove your claim.

Example: "Prove that ghosts don’t exist!"
हहंदी: "साबबत रिो कर भूत नहीं होते!"

18. Tu Quoque (्ू ाज दोषज हव ्क्)

Definition: Avoiding criticism by pointing out the critic's flaws.

Example: "You smoke too! So don’t tell me to quit."
हहंदी: "त्म ख्द धूमपान रिते हो, म्झे मत लसखाओ।"

19. Genetic Fallacy (उतपवत पर आधारर् दोष)

Definition: Judging something as good or bad based on origin.

Example: "That idea came from a dictator, so it must be wrong."
हहंदी: "यह ववचाि तानाशाह से आया है, इसललए यह गलत है ।"

20. Composition/Division Fallacy (ांपण

ू ् को ाात और ाात को
ांपूण् माञञा)

Definition: Assuming what is true of the parts is true of the whole (or vice versa).
Example: "Each part of the engine is light, so the engine must be light."
हहंदी: "हि पाु् हलरा है , तो पूिी मशीन भी हलरी होगी।"
One-Liner Questions on Fallacies (Hetvabhas
– हे त्ाााा)
No. Question (English) Question (Hindi) Answer
What is the Sanskrit term for fallacy रश संसरक त कबद क्श हे तवशाशस
1
fallacy? है? (Hetvabhas)
How many types of Hetvabhas ाशकत्् तर्कशा मे हे तवशाशस
2 5
are mentioned in Indian logic? रे करतने परशक बतशए सए है?
Which fallacy is due to वह रौन-सश हे तवशाशस है किसमे
3 Asiddha (अकसद)
unestablished reason? रशकण कसद नही होतश?
Which fallacy occurs due to वह हे तवशाशस किसमे रशकण
4 Viruddha (कवरद)
contradictory reason? कवकोध् हो, क्श रहिशतश है?
In which fallacy the reason is वह हे तवशाशस किसमे रशकण
रेवि कवष् मे नही बक्र सा् Savyabhichara
5 present in all, not only in the (सव्काचशक)
subject? मे पश्श िशए?
Which hetvabhas is due to the वह हे तवशाशस किसमे रशकण औक
6 fallacy of contradiction Viruddha (कवरद)
कनषरष् मे कवकोध होतश है?
between reason and result?
"This mountain has fire “इस पव् त पक धुआं है इसकिए
because it has smoke" — if आस है” – ्कद धुआं कसद नही, Asiddha (अकसद)
7
smoke is not proven, fallacy
is? तो रौन-सश हे तवशाशस होसश?
Which hetvabhas is due to वह हे तवशाशस किसमे रशकण
8 Badhita (बशकधत)
irrelevant reason? अपशसंकसर होतश है?
"Sound is eternal because it is “धवकन कनत् है क्दकर वह
9 invisible" — which fallacy is अदृ् है” — ्ह रौन-सश Asiddha (अकसद)
this? हे तवशाशस है?
Giving a reason that applies to कवष् औक अकवष् दोनद मे िशसू Savyabhichara
10 both subject and non-subject is होने वशिश रशकण करस हे तवशाशस (सव्काचशक)
what fallacy? रो दकश् तश है?

✅ Summary of 5 Types of Hetvabhas (िेत्रारा रे परँच पररक)

No. Name (Sanskrit) English Meaning Hindi Meaning

1 Savyabhichara Irregular middle term सव्काचशक (अकन्कमत हे तु)
2 Viruddha Contradictory reason कवरद (कवकोध् रशकण)
3 Asiddha Unproven reason अकसद (अकसद रशकण)
4 Badhita Contradicted by perception बशकधत (पमशण से खंकडत)
5 Satpratipaksha Counter-balanced reason सतपकतपत
 20 MCQs on Logical Fallacies
(With English-Hindi Questions & Answers)
1.

"Don't listen to him; he's failed twice." — This is an example of:

"उसरी बात मत स्नो, वो दो बाि िेल ह्आ है ।" — यह करस पराि री fallacy है ?
A) Strawman
B) Ad Hominem
C) Red Herring
D) Hasty Generalization

2.

"If we allow mobile phones, students will stop studying."

"अगि मोबाइल री इजाजत दी, तो बचचे पढाई छोड दे गे।"
A) False Cause
B) Appeal to Emotion
C) Slippery Slope
D) Circular Reasoning

3.

"The Bible is true because it says so in the Bible."

"यह गंथ सही है कयोकर इसमे ललखा है कर यह सही है ।"
A) Circular Reasoning
B) Ad Populum
C) Appeal to Authority
D) No True Scotsman

4.

"Everyone is investing in crypto, so it must be good."

"सब क्रुो मे पैसा लगा िहे है, तो यह सही होगा।"
A) Red Herring
B) Bandwagon
C) False Cause
D) Tu Quoque
5.

"He wants peace, so he must hate the army."

"वह शांनत चाहता है, इसरा मतलब वह सेना से निित रिता है ।"
A) Strawman
B) Appeal to Ignorance
C) Equivocation
D) Genetic Fallacy

6.

"My grandfather smoked and lived till 90, so smoking is safe."

"मेिे दादाजी ने धूमपान करया औि 90 साल जजए, इसरा मतलब धूमपान स्िककत
है ।"
A) Post Hoc
B) Hasty Generalization
C) Appeal to Emotion
D) False Dichotomy

7.

"You can’t prove ghosts don’t exist, so they must exist."

"भतू ो रा अजसततव नहीं साबबत रि सरते, तो वे जरि होते है।"
A) Appeal to Ignorance
B) Slippery Slope
C) Circular Reasoning
D) Appeal to Tradition

8.

"If we don’t ban plastic, the earth will be destroyed!"

"अगि हमने रलाजसुर बैन नहीं करया, तो धिती खतम हो जाएगी!"
A) Appeal to Fear
B) Appeal to Authority
C) Genetic Fallacy
D) Red Herring
9.

"Our ancestors did this, so it must be right."

"हमािे पूवज
् ऐसा रिते थे, तो यह सही होगा।"
A) False Cause
B) Appeal to Tradition
C) False Dichotomy
D) Burden of Proof

10.

"A feather is light. Light can't be dark. So a feather can’t be dark."

"पंख हलरा है , हलरा अंधेिा नहीं होता, इसललए पंख अंधेिा नहीं हो सरता।"
A) Equivocation
B) Tu Quoque
C) Genetic Fallacy
D) No True Scotsman

11.

"Each part of the engine is small, so the engine must be small."

"हि रहससा छोुा है, तो पूिी मशीन भी छोुी होगी।"
A) False Dichotomy
B) Division Fallacy
C) Composition Fallacy
D) Red Herring

12.

"You also cheated in college, so don’t blame me!"

"त्मने भी रॉलेज मे नरल री थी, म्झे मत ुोरो!"
A) Tu Quoque
B) Ad Populum
C) Appeal to Fear
D) Appeal to Emotion
13.

"Either you’re with us or against us."

"या तो त्म हमािे साथ हो या वविोध मे हो।"
A) Red Herring
B) False Cause
C) False Dichotomy
D) Appeal to Authority

14.

"This idea came from a dictator, so it must be wrong."

"यह ववचाि एर तानाशाह रा है , इसललए यह गलत है ।"
A) Genetic Fallacy
B) Ad Hominem
C) Slippery Slope
D) Strawman

15.

"If A then B. B happened, so A must have happened."

"अगि A होता है तो B होता है । B ह्आ, तो A भी ह्आ होगा।"
A) False Dichotomy
B) Denying the Antecedent
C) Affirming the Consequent
D) Red Herring

16.

"If A then B. A didn’t happen, so B didn’t happen."

"अगि A तो B। A नहीं ह्आ, इसललए B भी नहीं ह्आ।"
A) Strawman
B) Denying the Antecedent
C) Post Hoc
D) Hasty Generalization
17.

"He is a celebrity, so his opinion must be right."

"वह सेललब्ुी है , इसललए उसरी बात सही होगी।"
A) Ad Populum
B) Appeal to Authority
C) False Cause
D) Appeal to Fear

18.

"Prove ghosts don’t exist!"

"साबबत रिो कर भूत नहीं होते!"
A) Burden of Proof
B) Slippery Slope
C) Strawman
D) Hasty Generalization

19.

"No true patriot would oppose this law."

"रोई सचचा दे शभकत इस रानून रा वविोध नहीं रिे गा।"
A) No True Scotsman
B) Red Herring
C) Appeal to Emotion
D) Genetic Fallacy

20.

"Pollution is bad, but what about unemployment?"

"पदषू ण तो ब्िा है , पि बेिोजगािी रे बािे मे सोचो!"
A) False Dichotomy
B) Red Herring
C) Strawman
D) Appeal to Ignorance