Kevin McAdam
AP English 11/ Mr. George
10/5/09
Fallacy Examples
Hasty Generalization:
The soccer team is 0-1. The soccer team is horrible.
Stereotype:
Christine Lai is smart. All Asians are smart.
Cause and Effect:
Mr. George did a rain dance after school. It rained the next day.
Only Cause:
Students’ grades will be 100% if school is extended by four hours each day.
False Analogy:
The school year is a sprint and a marathon because you have to center all your energy on the present while focusing on the future.
Attacking the Person:
The student said we should play basketball, but we said we should not listen to him because he is a terrible athlete.
Either- Or Fallacy:
We have to win our first five games or there is no way we will make the state tournament.
Non-sequitur:
He got a 95% on his paper. Since he did not get a 100%, he should drop out of school.
Circular Reasoning:
I know Dave is on the soccer team. He is a cool guy, and I know who he is. He should be captain.
Begging the Question:
Everybody knows Michael Vick is the greatest quarterback of all time, and he may as well be the best runner of all time.