Informal Fallacies

Ad Hominem (Latin: Argumentum ad hominem)

Attacking the person, not the argument, like a spineless coward.

Left example: Calling a conservative politician a “racist bigot” to dismiss their immigration policy.
Right example: Labeling a liberal activist a “commie snowflake” to ignore their climate change points.

Appeal to Authority (Latin: Argumentum ad verecundiam)

Claiming truth because some “expert” says so, without checking their bias.

Left example: “Dr. Fauci says masks work, so anti-mandate folks are anti-science.”
Right example: “General Flynn warns of deep state conspiracies, so they’re real.”

Appeal to Ignorance (Latin: Argumentum ad ignorantiam)

Arguing something’s true (or false) because it hasn’t been disproven.

Left example: “No proof GMOs are safe long-term, so ban them.”
Right example: “Can’t prove 2020 voter fraud didn’t happen, so it did.”

Appeal to Pity (Latin: Argumentum ad misericordiam)

Using sob stories to sway, not facts, because emotions beat reason.

Left example: “We can’t cut welfare—think of starving kids and single moms!”
Right example: “Don’t regulate guns; families need protection from criminals.”

Appeal to Popular Opinion (Latin: Argumentum ad populum)

It’s right because “everyone” thinks so, herd mentality bullshit.

Left example: “Most support LGBTQ+ rights, so opposition is bigotry.”
Right example: “A majority believe in God, so atheism is unnatural.”

Begging the Question (Latin: Petitio principii)

Assuming the conclusion in the premise, circular jerk-off.

Left example: “Capitalism is exploitative because it prioritizes profits over people.”
Right example: “Abortion is murder because fetuses are innocent, and killing them is wrong.”

False Dilemma (Latin: No Latin)

Forcing two extreme choices when more options exist.

Left example: “Defund the police or you support systemic racism.”
Right example: “Support school vouchers or you’re trapping kids in failing schools.”

Circular Reasoning (Latin: Circulus in probando)

Restating the premise as proof, spinning in circles.

Left example: “Affirmative action is fair because it levels the playing field.”
Right example: “The free market is best because competition drives success.”

Complex Question (Latin: Plurium interrogationum)

Loaded question with sneaky assumptions to trap you.

Left example: “When will conservatives stop oppressing women and support equal pay?”
Right example: “Why do liberals keep destroying family values?”

Cum Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc (Latin: Same as English)

Correlation equals causation, dumbass assumption.

Left example: “Diverse companies perform better, so diversity causes success.”
Right example: “Crime rose in Democrat-run cities, so liberal policies cause crime.”

Sweeping Generalization (Latin: Dicto simpliciter)

Broad rule applied to specifics, ignoring exceptions.

Left example: “All white people benefit from privilege because some systems favor them.”
Right example: “All Muslims are potential terrorists since some are extremists.”

Equivocation (Latin: No Latin)

Shifting word meanings to confuse, slimy wordplay.

Left example: “Healthcare is a right, like free speech—so make it universal.” (deceptively equates positive and negative rights)
Right example: “Evolution is just a theory, not fact—so teach creationism.”

False Analogy (Latin: No Latin)

Shitty comparison that doesn’t hold up.

Left example: “Banning hate speech is like banning yelling ‘fire’ in a theater.”
Right example: “Government mandates are like Nazi control—resist all.”

Post Hoc Fallacy (Latin: Post hoc ergo propter hoc)

A before B means A caused B, timeline stupidity.

Left example: “Obama’s stimulus passed, economy recovered—so it worked.”
Right example: “Biden took office, inflation spiked—so his spending caused it.”

Hasty Generalization (Latin: No Latin)

Broad conclusion from a tiny sample, jumping the gun.

Left example: “One cop abused power, so police are inherently brutal.”
Right example: “One immigrant committed a crime, so immigration brings danger.”

No True Scotsman (Latin: No Latin)

Redefining a group to dodge counterexamples, cheating bastard.

Left example: “No true socialist supports markets; you’re a capitalist.”
Right example: “No true patriot questions the military; real ones support wars.”

Non Sequitur (Latin: Same as English)

Conclusion doesn’t follow premises, random leap.

Left example: “Income inequality is rising, so tighten abortion access.”
Right example: “China’s a threat, so build the wall higher.”

Poisoning the Well (Latin: No Latin)

Preemptive source discrediting, sabotage before they speak.

Left example: “Breitbart’s just right-wing propaganda—ignore it.”
Right example: “MSNBC is liberal fake news—don’t trust it.”

Red Herring (Latin: No Latin)

Distracting with irrelevant shit to derail.

Left example: “Talking climate? But corporate greed’s the real issue.”
Right example: “Debating taxes? Look at immigrants draining resources!”

Slippery Slope (Latin: No Latin)

One step leads to doom without proof, fearmongering crap.

Left example: “Any fossil fuel use will end the planet.”
Right example: “Legal weed means heroin in schools tomorrow.”

Special Pleading (Latin: No Latin)

Rules for others, excuses for yourself, hypocritical bullshit.

Left example: “Carbon taxes for all, but Hollywood jets get a pass.”
Right example: “Cut spending everywhere except military budgets.”

Straw Man (Latin: No Latin)

Misrepresenting the opponent’s view to attack a weak version.

Left example: “Right wants tax cuts for rich, so they hate the poor.”
Right example: “Left wants gun control, so they’ll take all weapons.”

Tu Quoque (Latin: Same as English, “you too”)

Hypocrisy accusation to dodge criticism.

Left example: “You call our protests riots, but you stormed the Capitol.”
Right example: “Liberals whine about misinformation, but they spread it too.”

Weak Analogy (Latin: No Latin)

Forced analogy that’s too dissimilar.

Left example: “Universal basic income is like public libraries—free benefits all.”
Right example: “Welfare is like feeding stray cats—breeds dependency.”

Appeal to Tradition (Latin: Argumentum ad antiquitatem)

It’s good because it’s old, stuck-in-the-mud thinking.

Left example: “Unions have protected workers forever, so don’t weaken them.”
Right example: “Nuclear family’s traditional, so don’t redefine marriage.”

Genetic Fallacy (Latin: No Latin)

Judging based on origin, not content.

Left example: “Conservative think tank idea? Tainted and wrong.”
Right example: “Liberal university policy? Indoctrinated bullshit.”

Guilt by Association (Latin: No Latin)

Smearing an idea by who supports it.

Left example: “He donated to conservative causes, so his education views are suspect.”
Right example: “She marched with antifa, so her opinions are extremist.”

Appeal to Fear (Latin: Argumentum ad metum)

Scaring people into agreement with doom scenarios.

Left example: “Vote against us, and fascism takes over.”
Right example: “If they win, socialism destroys your freedoms.”

Fallacy of Composition (Latin: No Latin)

Parts true means whole true, scaling error.

Left example: “Solar panels work, so the grid can go fully renewable.”
Right example: “Some regulations stifle business, so all oversight kills the economy.”

Fallacy of Division (Latin: No Latin)

Whole true means parts true, reverse scaling screwup.

Left example: “Society needs diversity, so every workplace must have quotas.”
Right example: “America is free, so every law must allow unlimited choice.”

Appeal to Nature (Latin: Argumentum ad naturam)

It’s good because it’s “natural,” ignoring nature’s nasty side.

Left example: “Organic foods are healthier, so ban all pesticides.”
Right example: “Having children is natural, so ban all contraception.”

Appeal to Emotion (Latin: Argumentum ad populum, emotional variant)

Whipping up feelings to sway, not facts.

Left example: “Join the climate march to save our kids’ future!”
Right example: “Rally for the Second Amendment to protect our freedoms!”

Appeal to Novelty (Latin: Argumentum ad novitatem)

Newer is better, chasing trends without evidence.

Left example: “Blockchain voting is modern, so it’s more secure.”
Right example: “AI surveillance tech solves crime better than old policing.”

Argument from Silence (Latin: Argumentum ex silentio)

Assuming silence means agreement or proof.

Left example: “Republicans didn’t release the Epstein list, so they must have conspired to protect themselves and Trump.”
Right example: “Democrats didn’t release the Epstein list, so they must have conspired to protect themselves and Clinton.”

Bandwagon Fallacy (Latin: No Latin)

Do it because everyone else is, peer pressure bullshit.

Left example: “Everyone’s canceling that platform, so it’s toxic—join in.”
Right example: “Patriots boycott woke brands, so ditch them too.”

Cherry Picking (Latin: No Latin)

Selecting data that fits, ignoring the rest.

Left example: “This study shows masks work; ignore mixed results.”
Right example: “One city’s crime stats prove immigrants are dangerous.”

Fallacy of the Single Cause (Latin: No Latin)

Blaming one thing for a complex issue.

Left example: “Poverty causes crime, so fix inequality and it’s solved.”
Right example: “Illegal immigration is why jobs are lost—close borders.”

Middle Ground Fallacy (Latin: No Latin)

Assuming truth lies between extremes, compromising for no reason.

Left example: “Some want abortion bans, others no limits—20 weeks is fair.”
Right example: “Gun control vs. no laws? Concealed carry with checks.”

Moralistic Fallacy (Latin: No Latin)

What should be morally true must be factually true.

Left example: “Healthcare should be free, so it’s practical.”
Right example: “Marriage should be man-woman, so biology says so.”

Sunk Cost Fallacy (Latin: No Latin)

Sticking with a failing plan because of past investment.

Left example: “We’ve spent billions on green subsidies, can’t stop now.”
Right example: “We’ve been in this war for years, can’t pull out.”

Appeal to Consequences (Latin: Argumentum ad consequentiam)

Judging truth by outcomes, not evidence.

Left example: “Admitting climate model uncertainty stops action, so models are certain.”
Right example: “If evolution’s true, morality collapses, so it’s not.”

Fallacy of Ambiguity (Latin: No Latin)

Vague language to obscure the point.

Left example: “Equity means fairness, so equity policies are just.”
Right example: “Freedom’s non-negotiable, so restrictions are tyranny.”

False Cause (Latin: Non causa pro causa)

Attributing cause without evidence.

Left example: “Vaccines mandated, autism rose—must be linked.”
Right example: “More concealed carry, less crime—guns stop violence.”

Pointing out inconsistency to dodge argument.

Left example: “You criticize our emissions, but you drive a gas-guzzler.”
Right example: “You want secure borders, but your leaders hire undocumented workers.”

Fallacy of Relevance (Latin: No Latin)

Irrelevant points to sidetrack.

Left example: “Healthcare costs? Let’s talk CEO bonuses.”
Right example: “Education reform? What about critical race theory?”

Subjectivist Fallacy (Latin: No Latin)

Truth depends on feelings, not facts.

Left example: “My truth says gender’s a spectrum, biology be damned.”
Right example: “I feel the election was stolen, so that’s reality.”

Ecological Fallacy (Latin: No Latin)

Inferring individual traits from group data.

Left example: “Urban areas vote Democrat, so city dwellers are liberal.”
Right example: “Rural areas are conservative, so every farmer hates taxes.”

Fallacy of Accident (Latin: A dicto simpliciter ad dictum secundum quid)

General rule applied to unfit case, ignoring context.

Left example: “Free speech is good, so protect death threats.”
Right example: “Property rights are sacred, so squatters have no claim.”

Appeal to Force (Latin: Argumentum ad baculum)

Using threats to win, bullying over reasoning.

Left example: “Support our protest or we’ll dox you.”
Right example: “Back our candidate or we’ll primary you.”

Texas Sharpshooter Fallacy (Latin: No Latin)

Cherry-picking data to fit a conclusion.

Left example: “Three cities show rent control works—ignore failures.”
Right example: “Two studies say masks don’t work, so mandates are useless.”

Motte and Bailey (Latin: No Latin)

Defending a weak claim (Bailey) by retreating to a stronger one (Motte), then sneaking back.

Left example: “Dismantle capitalism (Bailey); just fair wages (Motte), then back to anti-capitalism.”
Right example: “Stop all immigration (Bailey); secure borders (Motte), then back to total bans.”

Appeal to Ridicule (Latin: Argumentum ad ridiculum)

Mocking an argument to dismiss it, snarky bullshit.

Left example: “Climate skeptics are flat-earthers—laughable.”
Right example: “Woke policies are PC nonsense for snowflakes—ridiculous.”

Argument from Incredulity (Latin: No Latin)

Can’t believe it, so it must be false—lazy disbelief.

Left example: “I can’t fathom how billionaires earn that much legally, so they must be cheating.”
Right example: “I can’t fathom how vaccines were made so fast, so they’re not safe.”

Fallacy of the Undistributed Middle (Latin: No Latin)

Assuming a shared trait links two things in a conclusion.

Left example: “All socialists want equality; this policy promotes equality, so it’s socialist.”
Right example: “All patriots love freedom; this law supports freedom, so it’s patriotic.”

False Equivalence (Latin: No Latin)

Treating unequal things as equal.

Left example: “Misgendering is as bad as physical assault—both are violence.”
Right example: “Abortion is equivalent to murder—both end a life.”

Loaded Language (Latin: No Latin)

Emotionally charged words to bias the argument.

Left example: “Calling it ‘reproductive freedom’ makes abortion bans sound oppressive.”
Right example: “Labeling taxes as ‘government theft’ paints them as evil.”

Fallacy of Division (Variant) (Latin: No Latin)

Assuming a group’s trait applies to every member.

Left example: “Tech companies are innovative, so every employee is a genius.”
Right example: “Universities are liberal, so every professor is a leftist.”

Fallacy of Composition (Variant) (Latin: No Latin)

Assuming what’s true for individuals holds for the group.

Left example: “Some workers are exploited, so capitalism is entirely exploitative.”
Right example: “Some regulations are bad, so all government is bad.”

Appeal to Motive (Latin: No Latin)

Dismissing an argument by questioning intentions.

Left example: “He’s funded by oil companies, so his climate stance is corrupt.”
Right example: “She’s backed by Soros, so her immigration views are bought.”

Chronological Snobbery (Latin: No Latin)

Assuming older ideas are worse because they’re old, time-based arrogance.

Left example: “Past economic policies are irrelevant—modern tech demands new systems like UBI.”
Right example: “Constitutional checks and balances are ancient, so we need a streamlined government to handle modern threats like cyberwarfare.”