 Straw Man: Changing what someone says to make it sound silly or extreme.

For example, if
someone says, "We should use less gas," and you reply, "Oh, so you want to ban all cars." This
makes it hard to have a real discussion.
 Fallacy of Composition: Assuming that what’s true for one part is true for the whole. For
example, "If three players on my team are good, my whole team must be good."
 Fallacy of Division: Assuming that what’s true for the whole is true for each part. For
example, "If my apartment is half the size of yours, then my doors must be half the size of your
doors."
 Gambler’s Fallacy: Believing luck runs in streaks. For example, "If the roulette wheel landed
on red five times, it’s more likely to land on black next."
 Tu Quoque (You Too): Attacking someone’s argument by saying they don’t follow it
themselves. For example, "Why should I exercise just because you say so, when you don’t
exercise?"
 Ad Hominem: Attacking the person instead of their argument. For example, "Don’t listen to
them—they’re evil."
 Genetic Fallacy: Saying something is wrong just because of where it came from. For
example, "This idea is bad because it came from someone we don’t like."
 Appeal to Authority: Believing someone just because they’re an expert—even if it’s in an
unrelated field. For example, a physicist giving advice on farming.
 Red Herring: Distracting from the real issue. For example, "They might have stolen
something, but they look sad—don’t punish them."
 Appeal to Emotion: Using emotions to persuade. For example, "Hire me, or I’ll end up
homeless."
 Appeal to Popularity: Saying something is true because many people believe it. For example,
"Millions of people like this, so it must be good."
 Appeal to Tradition: Saying something is correct because it’s always been done that way.
For example, "We’ve always done this, so it must be right."
 Appeal to Nature: Saying something is good because it’s natural. For example, "This herbal
remedy is safe because it’s natural."
 Appeal to Ignorance: Saying something is true because it hasn’t been proven false, or vice
versa. For example, "You can’t prove ghosts aren’t real, so they must exist."
 Begging the Question: Using your conclusion as a reason. For example, "Zog is always right
because he says so in his own book."
 Equivocation: Using a word with two meanings to mislead. For example, "The law of gravity
can be changed because laws can be changed."
 False Dichotomy: Saying there are only two choices when more exist. For example, "Either
you agree with me, or you’re wrong."
 Middle Ground: Assuming the truth is always between two extremes. For example, "If one
side says 2+2=4 and the other says 2+2=5, then 2+2 must be 4.5."
 Decision Point: Saying you can’t make a choice because there’s no clear line. For example,
"You can’t tell where young ends and old begins."
 Slippery Slope: Saying one thing will lead to another and then disaster. For example, "If you
get a credit card, you’ll end up in debt and homeless."
 Hasty Generalization: Drawing a big conclusion from little evidence. For example, "My aunt
smokes and is healthy, so smoking isn’t bad."
 Faulty Analogy: Comparing two things that aren’t really alike. For example, "Government
should be run like a business to make a profit."
 Burden of Proof: Making someone else prove you’re wrong instead of proving you’re right.
For example, "I’m a ghost. Prove I’m not."
 Affirming the Consequent: Mistaking a cause for an effect. For example, "If my dog barks,
there’s an intruder. My dog isn’t barking, so there’s no intruder."
 Moving the Goalposts: Changing the rules when someone meets your challenge. For
example, "I can read minds—only if they’re on the right wavelength."
 False Cause: Assuming that if one thing happens after another, it caused it. For example,
"Pirates have decreased, and temperatures have increased, so fewer pirates cause global
warming."
 Loaded Question: Asking a question that assumes something bad. For example, "When did
you stop cheating?"
 No True Scotsman: Saying someone isn’t "truly" part of a group because they don’t meet
your standard. For example, "No true artist uses digital tools."
 Personal Incredulity: Saying something can’t be true because it’s hard to believe. For
example, "I can’t believe we’re made of atoms, so it can’t be true."
 Fallacy Fallacy: Assuming a claim is wrong because it has a fallacy. For example, "A yoga
teacher says vegetables are good, but they’re not a dietician, so I’ll just eat cake."