Common Logical Fallacies

Often a prospect spirals into a negative abyss. Aswears baggy pants. He's probably a gang
a master persuader you need to understand whatmember.
is happening to your prospect. By having an6. Tautology: defines an argument in a manner
understanding of your prospects concerns, youthat makes it impossible to disprove. Example:
will have a greater ability to resolve concerns andYou are a disagreeable person and, if you
close more sales.disagree with me, it will just prove even more
1. Faulty Cause: assumes that because one thinghow disagreeable you are.
follows another, the second thing was definitively7. Appeal to Authority: justifies an argument by
caused by the first. Example: Shawn broke hisciting a famous or popular person who also
mother's mirror, and sure enough, he was in a carsupports the argument. Example: Those shoes are
wreck the next weekgreat for Michael Jordan, so they'll be great for
2. Sweeping Generalization: assumes that what isme.
true in most cases must be true in all cases.8. Slippery Slope: assumes that a particular step
Example: We can't hire this candidate because he'sinvariably leads to similar steps, culminating with a
an ex-felon, and studies show that mostnegative outcome. Example: If I let one student
ex-felons experience relapses.hand in their paper late, then I'll have to let others
3. Hasty Generalization: assumes that a small piecehand theirs in late, too, and before you know it,
of information is soundly representative of theeveryone will be begging for an extension.
whole situation. Example: I don't like Thai food at9. Red Herring: attempts to divert attention away
all. The food I tried at this one Thai restaurantfrom the real issue. Example: When accused by
just was terrible and I was sick for days.his wife of cheating at cards, Frank says, "Nothing
4. Faulty Analogy: assumes that if two things areI do ever pleases you. I spent a whole week
alike in some ways, they must be alike in all ways.cleaning out the garage, and then all you did was
Example: Britney Spears and Christina Aguileracomplain about how I'd reorganized it."
dress the same and sing the same type of music,10. Appeal to Ignorance: uses a person's inability to
so they must have very similar personalities.disprove a claim as proof that the claim is right.
5. Faulty Sign: assumes that one event is a reliableExample: We know there are people living on
predictor of another. Example: That guy isother planets in other galaxies because no one
wearing a big Starter jacket, has a tattoo, andcan prove that there are not.