What is logical fallacy?

Question: What is logical fallacy!?

some examples of a logical fallacy please Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

Hey Bree,

A logical fallacy, like others have said above, is a mistake in someone's reasoning process!. Logical fallacies can be divided into two groups: informal fallacies and formal fallacies!. What are the differences!? Nothing very major!. Informal fallacies have to do with the content of an argument while formal fallacies have to do with the structure of an argument (or the way they are formed)!. Let me give you some examples:

Beginning with FORMAL fallacies:

All trees are pretty
some humans are pretty
Therefore, some humans are trees!.

Now, obviously this doesn't make much sense!. All arguments must be constructed in a specific way (kind of like meeting certain requirements)!. We call these "moods" and "figures" of arguments!. If they do not meet these requirements, then the argument is invalid!. If the argument is invalid then it cannot be sound (and soundness is the ultimate goal for having a good argument)!. NOTE: please look up the "moods" and "figures" for valid arguments (type in a search bar "moods and figures for valid arguments, and type in whne you are finished "what makes an argument valid!? This will give you a better understanding of this section)!.

INFORMAL fallacies:

These concern the content of an argument (and there are many, many kinds of informal fallacies!. If you want some lists all you will have to do is search for "informal fallacy list" and something will come up)!.

Let's say I wanted to prove that Bree is not adequate for the position of Contruction Site manager!. Let's also say that my reason for believing this is that Bree is a woman!. Basically my argument would look like this:

Bree is a woman
Therefore Bree is not adequate for the position of Construction Site Manager!.

This kind of fallacy is called "Circumstancial Ad Hominem"!. It is called this because it uses a persons circumstances as evidence to prove a conclusion (like the one above) where the persons circumstances are irrelevant to the conclusion!. The fact the Bree is a woman doesn't necessarily prove that she is inadequate for the job!. Another example may be:

Bree cannot be on yearbook staff, because she used to date my boyfriend Josh!.

This is called a "Non-sequitar" (which means 'it does not follow") because the conclusion does not follow from the premise, i!.e!. the premise (that Bree used to date Josh) does NOT support the conclusion (Bree cannot be on yearbook staff)!. More precisey, the premise doesn't support the conclusion and therefore the argument doesn't prove anything!. There is no logical connection between the premise and conclusion, and unfortuately this fallacy creeps up a lot everyday!.

Now there are many more fallacies, but I will let you research these!. I just hope I was able to help some!.

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If you go to the "Religion and Spiritually"section, you will see plenty of it!.

Fallacies are either formal or informal!. Because the validity of a deductive argument depends on its form, a formal fallacy is a deductive argument that has an invalid form, whereas an informal fallacy is any other invalid mode of reasoning whose flaw is not in the form of the argument!.

Examples :

Ad baculum

Ad hoc

Ad hominem

Affirming the consequent

Appeal to authority

Appeal to fear

Appeal to pity

Appeal to probability

Appeal to tradition

Appeal to the majority

Argument from ignorance

Begging the question

Biased sample

Equivocation

False dilemma

Hasty generalization

Ignoratio elenchi

Loki's Wager (love this one!)

Post hoc ergo propter hoc

Slippery slope

Straw man, etc,!.

A "fallacy" is a mistake, and a "logical" fallacy is a mistake in reasoning!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

There are said to be two main kinds of fallacy:

Formal, e!.g!. denying the antecedent (if p, then q; not-p, therefore not-q), and informal e!.g!. the fallacy of equivocation (Apples are fruit; my Mac computer is a fruit!.)

The difference: the formal logical fallacy is an error in construction; the informal logical fallacy is an error in argument!.

"A Philosophy of Universality," O!. M!. Aivanhov, is worthwhile!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

There are many varieties of fallacies, based on the way in which logic is defied!. These include:

accidental fallacies- Cutting people is a crime!. Surgeons cut people!. Therefore, surgeons are criminals!.

circular reasoning- x happened because of y!. y happened because of x!. x happened because of y!. y happened!.!.!.

There are many others!. To see more with examples go here:

http://www!.nizkor!.org/features/fallacies!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

A statement that is self-refuting!.Richard Dawkins Atheistic Materialism is self-refuting!. If materialism is true then materialism, which is a mental construct or value judgement, must itself be false and purely imaginary!.That is the only conclusion if he is consistent!.Www@QuestionHome@Com