Chapter 6 Fallacies Subjectivism I want it to be true, so it is true. Appeal to Majority Most people think something, so it must be true. Appeal to Emotion I feel good about something, so it must be true. Appeal to Force Agree with me or else ... ! Appeal to Authority Dr. So-and-so is an expert on physics, so he must be an authority on economics. Ad hominem What my opponent is saying cannot be true, since he is a known paper-clip thief. False alternative Either comets go around the Sun or they are debris from the asteroid belt. Post hoc The full moon made the stock market crash. Hasty Generalization My team won a game, so they must be the greatest team of all time. Composition So-and-so is a great player, so her team must be a great team. Division The so-and-so's are a great team, so they must all be great players. Begging the Question Only planets can orbit the Sun, so asteroids must be planets. Equivocation All men are created equal. But women are not men, so all women are not necessarily created equal. Appeal to Ignorance No one has proven that it's not true, so it must be true. Diversion What my opponent is saying about smoking cannot be true, since tobacco plants have as much right to exist as you or I.

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