1.Begging the Question- There are times when my mother and I get into confrontations about things. My mother says that because she's my mom she knows me better than I know myself. So I ask her how she knows that, and she responds, "Because I'm your mom." This is an example of begging the question because it goes in a circle.

Mom: "I'm your mom and I know you better than you know yourself.

Me: "How do you know that?"

Mom: "Because I'm your mom."

2. Ad Hominem- There was an instance when my friend and a chemistry teacher were in a heated debate about whether African Americans who don't go to college make more money than other races who do and are better off when concerning different aspects in career choice. Instead of attacking the argument my friend attacked a quality of the teacher.

Premiss: The teacher says that African Americans can be better off.

Premiss: The teacher is nothing but a high school employee who teaches conceptual chemistry.

Conclusion: The Chemistry teacher is wrong about the situation.

3.Non Sequiturs (Latin="it does not follow")- A non sequitor is something that occurs when the conclusion does not logically follow the premisses supported by it.

Premiss: My mom's car is behind the building in the lot.

Premiss: The ice cream truck drives past the back lot.

Conclusion: The car keeps the ice cream truck from stopping.

4. False and Vague Premisses- An example of this occured when my little nephew and cousin were exchanging jokes amongst one another. My nephew said that my cousin was a monkey, and as a response, my little cousin said; "No I'm not, I'm a human." My cousin then says; "Yeah but your still a monkey." A conclusion logically follows but one of the premisses are false or doesn't make sense.

Premiss: My cousin says he's a person.

Premiss: My nephew says my cousin, a person, is a monkey.

Conclusion: My cousin is a monkey.