Examples of Logical Fallacies

Correlation does not imply causation

• Studies show that countries with higher coffee consumption tend to have longer life expectancies, so it must be that drinking coffee will cause you to live longer.
• Over the past two decades, there has been a significant correlation between the amount of wind-generated power in Taiwan, and the Google search volume of the phrase ‘i am tired’. Those wind turbines must be causing a wave of lethargy! (link)
• There is a positive correlation between a person’s level of education and their annual income. It seems smarter people are just better at making money.

Ad hominem

• Alice: It’s important to enforce minimum-wage laws so that workers are not exploited.
  Bob: That’s nonsense — you only say that because you just can’t get a good job.
• Why should we listen to coach? Back in the day he wasn’t even a good player!"
• He’s wrong because he sucks.

Appeal to ignorance

• I’ve yet to hear a convincing argument that Loch Ness monster isn’t real, so it must be swimming around in there.
• We should treat vegetables as sentient beings — just in case — at least until someone proves that they aren’t sentient.
• When I see the color blue, it’s different than the color you see when you see the color blue. Like, we’re both seeing ‘blue’, but it’s just the color we each call ‘blue’; my blue actually looks different than anyone else’s blue. There’s not way to compare, so it must be.

Appeal to authority

• The earth is flat! My math professor said so, and he’s a professor.
• The earth is round! My math professor said so, and he’s a professor.
• The earth is round! My astronomy professor said so, and she’s a professor.

Appeal to consequences

• There’s no way North Korea will attack Hawaii with missiles; the resulting war would be catastrophic for everyone, including themselves.
• There’s no way that a pregnant woman’s fluoride exposure can affect the development of their baby. If that were to turn out to be true, the public outcry and resulting policy change in water fluoridation would be a public health nightmare.

Straw man

• The instructor suggested that students should take more math classes in primary school — he doesn't care about students learning writing or language arts.
• Alice: We should maybe pass some laws regarding children’s presence on social media.
  Bob: We can’t do that — that’s just censorship. You just don’t want to see opinions you disagree with.