6. FALLACIES
Dicto Simpliciter
an argument based on an
unqualified generalization
1.Exercise is good. Therefore,
everybody should exercise.
2.The things you learn in school
don’t have anything to do with
life.
7. FALLACIES
Dicto Simpliciter
an argument based on an
unqualified generalization
FORMULA
= starts with a statement that is
true for some cases but not all
= applied to all cases
8. FALLACIES
Hasty Generalization
a conclusion reached with too
few instances as support
1.You can’t speak French. He can’t
speak French. No one can speak
French.
2.We’ve had five good dates. We’re
well-matched.
9. FALLACIES
Hasty Generalization
a conclusion reached with too
few instances as support
FORMULA
= starts with the statement of at
least two cases
= proceeds with the cases being
applied to other cases
10. FALLACIES
Post Hoc
faulty cause-and-effect
relationship
1.It rains every time Bill
comes. Bill causes the
rain.
11. FALLACIES
Post Hoc
faulty cause-and-effect
relationship
FORMULA
= event 1 takes place before event
2
= event 1 is said to cause event 2
12. FALLACIES
Contradictory Premises
premises of an argument that
contradict each other
1.God can do everything, so He can
make a stone so heavy He can’t lift
it.
irresistible force:
immovable object
13. FALLACIES
Contradictory Premises
premises of an argument that
contradict each other
FORMULA
= two truths are given; the truths
are true on different levels
= the two truths are made to
contradict
14. FALLACIES
Ad Misericordiam
an appeal to emotions rather
than reason
1.A man’s qualifications for a job
are his unfortunate
circumstances.
2.You are the whole world to me,
the moon and the stars…
15. FALLACIES
Ad Misericordiam
an appeal to emotions rather
than reason
FORMULA
= an emotional situation is
given
= the listener is swayed to lose
16. FALLACIES
False Analogy
comparisons between two
completely different things
1.Students should be allowed to look
at books because professionals are.
2.Dating is like a cake; you don’t have
to eat a whole cake to know it’s
good.
17. FALLACIES
False Analogy
comparisons between two
completely different things
FORMULA
= the situation in one case is given
= the situation is likened or
applied to a completely different
case
18. FALLACIES
Hypothesis Contrary to Fact
• there is a factual error in the
statement
1.Radium would not be discovered if
Madame Curie had not been
careless. If not for this, radium
wouldn’t have been discovered.
2.You wouldn’t learn about fallacies
if not for me. Be thankful to me.
19. FALLACIES
Hypothesis Contrary to Fact
• there is a factual error in the
statement
FORMULA
= an untrue statement is given
= a conclusion, either true or
untrue, is made based on the
false statement
20. FALLACIES
Poisoning the Well
unfair judgment
1.My opponent is a notorious
liar. You can’t believe him.
2.You can’t go out with Petey
Bellows who is a liar, a
cheat, and a rat.
21. FALLACIES
Poisoning the Well
unfair judgment
FORMULA
= something negative is
attributed
= another negative trait is
unjustifiably attributed based
23. Every time I pray the rosary the night
before cards are given, I don’t get a
grade lower than 88. I’ll always pray
the rosary, so I will always get 2nd
honors.
A.Post Hoc
B.Ad Misericordiam
C.Contradictory Premises
D.Hypothesis Contrary to Fact
E.No Fallacy
24. Every time I pray the rosary the night
before cards are given, I don’t get a
grade lower than 88. I’ll always pray
the rosary, so I will always get 2nd
honors.
A.Post Hoc
B.Ad Misericordiam
C.Contradictory Premises
D.Hypothesis Contrary to Fact
E.No Fallacy
25. I’ve had to change phones twice this year
because my Nokia phones keep conking
out. When I buy another phone, I’ll make
sure that it won’t be a Nokia because
Nokia phones are of poor quality.
A.No Fallacy
B.False Analogy
C.Ad Misericordiam
D.Dicto Simpliciter
E.Hasty Generalization
26. I’ve had to change phones twice this year
because my Nokia phones keep conking
out. When I buy another phone, I’ll make
sure that it won’t be a Nokia because
Nokia phones are of poor quality.
A.No Fallacy
B.False Analogy
C.Ad Misericordiam
D.Dicto Simpliciter
E.Hasty Generalization
27. The suspect should be set free
because his wife just died, and
there is no one left to take care of
his three-year-old kid.
A.False Analogy
B.Ad Misericordiam
C.Poisoning the Well
D.Hypothesis Contrary to Fact
E.No Fallacy
28. The suspect should be set free
because his wife just died, and
there is no one left to take care of
his three-year-old kid.
A.False Analogy
B.Ad Misericordiam
C.Poisoning the Well
D.Hypothesis Contrary to Fact
E.No Fallacy
29. Science has proven that energy is never
created nor destroyed, but simply
transformed from one form to another.
Therefore, the government is wrong to
say we’re wasting energy each day.
A.False Analogy
B.No Fallacy
C.Ad Misericordiam
D.Poisoning the Well
E.Contradictory Premises
30. Science has proven that energy is never
created nor destroyed, but simply
transformed from one form to another.
Therefore, the government is wrong to
say we’re wasting energy each day.
A.False Analogy
B.No Fallacy
C.Ad Misericordiam
D.Poisoning the Well
E.Contradictory Premises
31. I am 17. During the interaction, I found
out that more than half of the Povedans
on their junior year are 16. From then on,
I started believing that majority of the
Povedans in that batch are younger.
A.Ad Misericordiam
B.Post Hoc
C.No Fallacy
D.Hasty Generalization
E.Hypothesis Contrary to Fact
32. I am 17. During the interaction, I found
out that more than half of the Povedans
on their junior year are 16. From then on,
I started believing that majority of the
Povedans in that batch are younger.
A.Ad Misericordiam
B.Post Hoc
C.No Fallacy
D.Hasty Generalization
E.Hypothesis Contrary to Fact
33. Water, no matter how filthy, is made to
undergo filtration to be used again.
Therefore, the leftover food for
segregation should be reheated and
resold to conserve precious resources.
A.Post Hoc
B.False Analogy
C.Dicto Simpliciter
D.Ad Misericordiam
E.No Fallacy
34. Water, no matter how filthy, is made to
undergo filtration to be used again.
Therefore, the leftover food for
segregation should be reheated and
resold to conserve precious resources.
A.Post Hoc
B.False Analogy
C.Dicto Simpliciter
D.Ad Misericordiam
E.No Fallacy
35. The student’s claim that he did not
cheat in the exams should not be
believed because nothing truthful
has ever come out of that student’s
mouth.
A.No Fallacy
B.Post Hoc
C.False Analogy
D.Dicto Simpliciter
E.Poisoning the Well
36. The student’s claim that he did not
cheat in the exams should not be
believed because nothing truthful
has ever come out of that student’s
mouth.
A.No Fallacy
B.Post Hoc
C.False Analogy
D.Dicto Simpliciter
E.Poisoning the Well
37. Philippine education is poor.
Therefore, Xaverians receive low
quality education.
A.Post Hoc
B.False Analogy
C.Dicto Simpliciter
D.No Fallacy
E.Hypothesis Contrary to Fact
38. Philippine education is poor.
Therefore, Xaverians receive low
quality education.
A.Post Hoc
B.False Analogy
C.Dicto Simpliciter
D.No Fallacy
E.Hypothesis Contrary to Fact
39. Xavier School is strictly for
students with some Chinese blood.
Therefore, Filipinos are not at all
welcome in Xavier School.
A.Post Hoc
B.False Analogy
C.Dicto Simpliciter
D.No Fallacy
E.Hypothesis Contrary to Fact
40. Xavier School is strictly for
students with some Chinese blood.
Therefore, Filipinos are not at all
welcome in Xavier School.
A.Post Hoc
B.False Analogy
C.Dicto Simpliciter
D.No Fallacy
E.Hypothesis Contrary to Fact
41. All men have a Y chromosome.
Therefore, if I encounter a male,
he has a Y chromosome.
A.Ad Misericordiam
B.Poisoning the Well
C.Contradictory Premises
D.No Fallacy
E.Hypothesis Contrary to Fact
42. All men have a Y chromosome.
Therefore, if I encounter a male,
he has a Y chromosome.
A.Ad Misericordiam
B.Poisoning the Well
C.Contradictory Premises
D.No Fallacy
E.Hypothesis Contrary to Fact
43. FALLACIES
What is the value in
learning the fallacies?
Isn’t it enough to know
if something is a fallacy
or not?
