Things to consider when looking at arguments or opinions

Arguments often take the form of statements that are either claims of facts and
are phrased in such a way that they seem reasonable. However, a number of
arguments may be based on faulty reasoning. These kinds of arguments are called
fallacies. Some of these fallacies may be intentional, as the person making the claim is
desperate to convince you to accept his or her argument. The following are examples of
fallacies.
Fallacy Characteristics Examples
Ad hominem Attacking the person “Of course he believes that
presenting the argument the government is flawed,
instead of the argument he is a rebel and a
itself Communist!”
Appeal to force Using the threat of force or “If this peace agreement
an undesirable event to will not be signed by the
advance an argument government, then we will
have no recourse but to go
to war.”
Appeal to emotion Using emotions such as “All these charges are
pity or sympathy baseless; this is just plain
harassment – can’t you
see how this is affecting
my family?”
Appeal to the popular The idea is presented as “Every boy your age
acceptable because a lot already has a girlfriend,
of people accept it you should go find one!”
Appeal to the tradition The idea is acceptable “Marriage should be
because it had been true between a man and a
for a long time woman. It had been so for
a long time in this country;
it should remain so today
and in the future.”
Begging the question Assuming the thing or idea “I have a right to free
to be proven is true; also speech, therefore you
known as “circular cannot stop me from
argument” talking.”
Cause-and-effect Assuming a “cause-and- “Ever since you bought
effect” relationship that sweater, everything
between unrelated events has been going wrong in
your life. You should get
rid of it.”
Fallacy of composition Assuming that what is true “These cases of robbery in
of a part is true for the this district have convinced
whole me that the city has
become a den of thieves
and criminals.”
Fallacy of division Assuming that what is true “You come from a family of
for the whole is true for its doctors and intellectuals!
parts Surely you can do better in
this course!”