An argumentative fallacy is a statement meant to win an argument, whether or not the speaker is presenting true opinions and facts. It breaks the rules of logical proof. Such a speaker usually targets emotions and fear or takes advantage of the other side’s lack of knowledge. There are a great many argumentative fallacies. And it is always worth thinking about how to weaken a manipulator.
🎓 Did you know? Manipulators often use argumentative fallacies on purpose. They tend to be an important part of propaganda, not only in politics but also in relationships. Do you know the most common types of manipulation in a relationship?
Table of contents
1. The “ad hominem” fallacy
Translated, it means an argument against the person. This fallacy happens when the speaker does not argue about the matter itself but instead judges or accuses their opponent negatively and attacks them directly. They point to the opponent’s negative traits, character or even appearance, trying to humiliate them. Derogatory labels may also appear. It is perhaps the most common and also the most serious argumentative fallacy, because it disrupts the discussion and in many cases ends it altogether.
Types of the ad hominem fallacy
Common types of the ad hominem fallacy include the appeal to age, where the speaker claims the opponent is too young, or too old, to have meaningful opinions. The appeal to experience works in a similar way: the speaker suggests that a person without personal experience has no right at all to speak about the issue.
🎓 Did you know? Ad hominem arguments also include tu quoque, where the speaker points to the other side’s alleged hypocrisy. Attacking someone’s motive is another form.
The Hitler fallacy
This fallacy is one of the truly serious ad hominem fallacies. Once again, it is not about factual argument but an attack on the opponent as a person or on their traits. The speaker’s aggression is all the more striking because the other side is compared to one of the worst dictators of all time, Adolf Hitler. This includes statements such as: “Not even Hitler would have done that.” or “It was just the same under Hitler.” It depends on what suits the speaker at the time. So it is clear what the speaker is after: they want to discredit their opponent completely.
2. The “straw man” fallacy
The straw man is one of the most common argumentative fallacies. The speaker alters their opponent’s argument by simplifying it or even ridiculing it. They then argue against this version (the straw man). And it is very easy for them, because a straw man cannot defend itself: it is built to be as easy as possible to knock down with arguments. At the same time, it creates the impression that the other side holds views that do not match the original statement at all.
💡 Tip: How can you spot a straw man fallacy? A manipulator’s sentences usually begin like this: “So you’re saying/claiming that…”, followed by a heavily simplified or even mocking version of the other side’s original argument. It can even go so far that the speaker invents the opponent’s statement entirely.
3. The “slippery slope” fallacy
The essence of this fallacy is captured well by its alternative English name, the Domino Fallacy. After all, the domino effect means that a light nudge to one tile causes all the others to fall. The slippery slope fallacy is built in a similar way: according to it, a small action leads to a series of negative, often even dramatic events that build up like a snowball. The speaker tries to make others afraid and often claims that these frightening consequences are unavoidable. However, they have no evidence for it.
4. Other common argumentative fallacies
- red herring: the speaker brings unrelated facts into the discussion to divert attention elsewhere and lead others down a false trail
- appeal to the people: according to the speaker, something must be true because people say so
- association fallacy: one shared trait leads to the same conclusion about two things
- burden of proof: instead of proving their claim is true, the speaker demands that the other side disprove it, shifting the burden onto them
- false dilemma: according to the speaker, there are only two possible options, both extreme, with nothing in between, when in reality there are many
🎓 Did you know? Some argumentative fallacies can happen unintentionally, usually because of cognitive biases. In that case, we speak of a rhetorical error or a reasoning mistake.
