Complete Reference Guide
Logical Fallacies List: Every Common Fallacy Explained
Browse 30+ logical fallacies organized by category. Each fallacy includes a clear definition, real-world examples from politics, media, and everyday arguments, plus tips on how to respond when you encounter them.
Relevance and Rhetoric
Fallacies that distract, attack the person, or substitute persuasion for evidence.
Ad Hominem Fallacy: Stop Attacking People, Start Answering Arguments
An ad hominem fallacy attacks a person's character instead of addressing their argument.
Straw Man Fallacy: Arguing Against a Weaker Version of the Real Point
A straw man fallacy distorts someone's position to make it easier to attack.
Red Herring Fallacy: The Art of Distraction in Arguments
A red herring fallacy distracts from the original issue by introducing an irrelevant topic.
Tu Quoque Fallacy: The 'But You Do It Too' Non-Argument
Tu quoque dismisses a claim by accusing the speaker of hypocrisy instead of addressing the argument.
Appeal to Emotion Fallacy: When Feelings Replace Facts in Arguments
The appeal to emotion fallacy uses feelings as the primary evidence instead of reasons or facts.
Appeal to Fear Fallacy: Why Scary Scenarios Aren't Arguments
An appeal to fear tries to persuade by frightening people rather than presenting evidence.
Bandwagon Fallacy: Why Everyone Believing Something Doesn't Make It True
The bandwagon fallacy treats popularity as proof that a belief or decision is correct.
Appeal to Authority Fallacy: Why Expert Names Aren't Evidence
An appeal to authority claims something is true because an authority figure says it, without adequate evidence.
Appeal to Tradition Fallacy: Because We've Always Done It That Way
The appeal to tradition fallacy argues something is right because it has always been done that way.
Appeal to Nature Fallacy: Why Natural Doesn't Mean Safe or Good
The appeal to nature fallacy assumes something is good or right simply because it is natural.
Appeal to Ignorance Fallacy: Absence of Proof Isn't Proof of Absence
An appeal to ignorance claims something is true because it has not been proven false (or vice versa).
Genetic Fallacy: Why a Bad Source Can't Make a Good Idea Bad
The genetic fallacy judges a claim based on its source rather than its evidence.
Causation and Evidence
Fallacies that confuse correlation with causation or cherry-pick evidence.
False Cause Fallacy: Confusing Timing with Causation
The false cause fallacy assumes a causal relationship without adequate evidence.
Post Hoc Fallacy: After This, Therefore Because of This
Post hoc fallacy assumes that because one event followed another, the first caused the second.
Correlation vs Causation: Why Patterns Don't Prove Cause & Effect
The correlation versus causation fallacy assumes that because two things move together, one causes the other.
Texas Sharpshooter Fallacy: Cherry-Picking Data to Prove a Point
The Texas sharpshooter fallacy cherry-picks data that fits a pattern while ignoring the rest.
Gambler's Fallacy: Why the Coin Doesn't Remember Previous Flips
The gambler's fallacy assumes past random events make a future outcome more likely.
Burden of Proof Fallacy: Why You Can't Prove a Negative
The burden of proof fallacy shifts the responsibility to disprove a claim instead of proving it.
Structure and Logic
Fallacies about structure, alternatives, or weak generalizations.
False Dilemma Fallacy: Either You Agree or You're Wrong (And Why That's Flawed)
A false dilemma fallacy presents only two options when more possibilities exist.
Middle Ground Fallacy: The Myth That Truth Always Lives in the Middle
The middle ground fallacy assumes a compromise is always correct simply because it is between two extremes.
Slippery Slope Fallacy: How One Small Step Gets Portrayed as the End of Everything
A slippery slope claims a small step will inevitably lead to extreme outcomes without evidence.
Hasty Generalization Fallacy: From One Bad Day to Never Again
A hasty generalization draws a broad conclusion from too little or unrepresentative evidence.
Anecdotal Fallacy: Why One Story Isn’t Evidence
The anecdotal fallacy treats a personal story as proof instead of using reliable evidence.
False Analogy Fallacy: Why Comparing Apples to Oranges Breaks Arguments
A false analogy compares two things that are not similar in the ways that matter.
Circular Reasoning Fallacy: When Arguments Go in Circles
Circular reasoning uses the conclusion as one of its premises, providing no independent support.
Moving the Goalposts Fallacy: Why the Rules Keep Changing
Moving the goalposts changes the criteria for success after those criteria have been met.
Composition Fallacy: Why Good Parts Don't Guarantee a Good Whole
The composition fallacy assumes what is true of parts must be true of the whole.
Division Fallacy: Why Group Success Doesn't Equal Individual Success
The division fallacy assumes what is true of the whole must be true of each part.
Ambiguity and Definition
Fallacies that rely on vague terms, shifting meanings, or redefining groups.
Equivocation Fallacy: When Words Change Meaning Mid-Argument
Equivocation shifts the meaning of a key word or phrase to make an argument seem valid.
Ambiguity Fallacy: How Vague Language Hides Weak Arguments
The ambiguity fallacy relies on vague or shifting meanings to make an argument appear valid.
No True Scotsman Fallacy: Redefining Groups to Avoid Criticism
The no true Scotsman fallacy redefines a group to exclude counterexamples and protect a claim.
Test Your Knowledge: Play the Logical Fallacy Game
Put your fallacy-spotting skills to the test with 6 interactive game modes. Identify ad hominem, straw man, red herring, and 30+ other logical fallacies in realistic arguments from news, social media, and everyday conversations.
Play the Fallacy Game Free