Conceptual Logical Fallacies: Definitions and Examples

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Conceptual

Errors caused by bad categories, weak distinctions, or distorted conceptual boundaries.

How to spot it

52 fallacies in this category.

Are the categories being used carefully, or are unlike things being treated as alike?

Examples in this category

Abstraction denial Abstraction fallacy Appeal to nature Argumentum ad populum Bottom-up condemnation

+47 more listed below.

Category vs. family

A category is a diagnostic lens, so a fallacy may appear in more than one category. A family is the broader umbrella that gives the fallacy its single main home.

Abstraction denial

Occurs when someone denies the reality or causal relevance of a higher-level pattern just because the pattern is realized through lower-level parts.

Conceptual

Intermediate Intro college

Abstraction denial companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when someone denies the reality or causal relevance of a higher-level pattern just because the pattern is realized through lower-level parts.

Abstraction fallacy

Occurs when a model, law, or abstraction drawn from experience is treated as if it were a logically necessary rule that reality cannot ever depart from.

Conceptual

Intermediate Intro college

Abstraction fallacy companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when a model, law, or abstraction drawn from experience is treated as if it were a logically necessary rule that reality cannot ever depart from.

Appeal to nature

Occurs when something is praised as good, safe, or right merely because it is called natural, or condemned as bad merely because it is called unnatural.

ConceptualEvidential

Intermediate Intro college

Appeal to nature companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when something is praised as good, safe, or right merely because it is called natural, or condemned as bad merely because it is called unnatural.

Argumentum ad populum

Occurs when a claim is treated as true, reasonable, or justified mainly because many people believe it, share it, or act on it.

EvidentialConceptualEpistemic

Intermediate Intro college

Argumentum ad populum companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when a claim is treated as true, reasonable, or justified mainly because many people believe it, share it, or act on it.

Bottom-up condemnation

Occurs when a negative generalization about a group is used as if it settled the character or behavior of a specific member of that group.

ConceptualEvidential

Intermediate Intro college

Bottom-up condemnation companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when a negative generalization about a group is used as if it settled the character or behavior of a specific member of that group.

Bottom-up justification

Occurs when a positive generalization about a group is used as if it established the virtue or competence of a specific member of that group.

ConceptualEvidential

Intermediate Intro college

Bottom-up justification companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when a positive generalization about a group is used as if it established the virtue or competence of a specific member of that group.

Composition fallacy

Occurs when something true of the parts is assumed to be true of the whole they compose.

Conceptual

Intermediate Intro college

Composition fallacy companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when something true of the parts is assumed to be true of the whole they compose.

Conjunction fallacy

Occurs when a more detailed scenario is treated as more probable than a less detailed scenario that already contains it.

ConceptualMathematical

Advanced Advanced undergraduate

Conjunction fallacy companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when a more detailed scenario is treated as more probable than a less detailed scenario that already contains it.

Continuum fallacy

Occurs when a claim is rejected simply because the concept involved has blurry boundaries rather than a perfectly sharp cutoff.

ConceptualLinguistic

Intermediate Intro college

Continuum fallacy companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when a claim is rejected simply because the concept involved has blurry boundaries rather than a perfectly sharp cutoff.

Definist fallacy

Occurs when a substantive question is illegitimately 'solved' by defining one contested concept into another.

LinguisticConceptual

Advanced Intro college

Definist fallacy companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when a substantive question is illegitimately 'solved' by defining one contested concept into another.

Denying a remote hypothetical

Occurs when a hypothetical test case is dismissed as irrelevant merely because it is rare, extreme, or unlikely, even though the principle under debate is supposed to be...

EvidentialConceptual

Intermediate Intro college

Denying a remote hypothetical companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when a hypothetical test case is dismissed as irrelevant merely because it is rare, extreme, or unlikely, even though the principle under debate is supposed to be universal.

Denying the correlative

Occurs when one side of a genuine contrast is denied or redefined so the opposing term has no place to apply.

Conceptual

Intermediate Intro college

Denying the correlative companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when one side of a genuine contrast is denied or redefined so the opposing term has no place to apply.

Division fallacy

Occurs when something true of a whole is assumed to be true of each part or member of that whole.

Conceptual

Intermediate Intro college

Division fallacy companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when something true of a whole is assumed to be true of each part or member of that whole.

Ecological fallacy

Occurs when statistics about a group are used to draw conclusions about particular individuals in that group.

MathematicalConceptual

Advanced Advanced undergraduate

Ecological fallacy companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when statistics about a group are used to draw conclusions about particular individuals in that group.

Epistemic/ontological conflation

Occurs when the psychological or social effects of believing something are treated as evidence that the thing believed in actually exists or is true.

ConceptualEvidentialEpistemic

Intermediate Intro college

Epistemic/ontological conflation companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when the psychological or social effects of believing something are treated as evidence that the thing believed in actually exists or is true.

Fallacy of necessity

Occurs when a condition that is necessary given someone's current description is treated as if it were permanently or universally necessary in the real world.

LinguisticConceptual

Advanced Intro college

Fallacy of necessity companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when a condition that is necessary given someone's current description is treated as if it were permanently or universally necessary in the real world.

False analogy

Occurs when one thing is treated as sufficiently like another even though the comparison breaks down at the point the argument depends on.

Conceptual

Intermediate Intro college

False analogy companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when one thing is treated as sufficiently like another even though the comparison breaks down at the point the argument depends on.

False compromise

Occurs when the midpoint between two positions is treated as correct simply because it lies between them.

Conceptual

Intermediate Intro college

False compromise companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when the midpoint between two positions is treated as correct simply because it lies between them.

False dilemma

Occurs when someone presents a limited set of options as if they were the only live possibilities, while reasonable alternatives are ignored or suppressed.

Conceptual

Intermediate High school

False dilemma companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when someone presents a limited set of options as if they were the only live possibilities, while reasonable alternatives are ignored or suppressed.

False equivalence

Occurs when two things are treated as equivalent in seriousness, meaning, or explanatory weight despite relevant differences that make the comparison misleading.

ConceptualEvidential

Intermediate Intro college

False equivalence companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when two things are treated as equivalent in seriousness, meaning, or explanatory weight despite relevant differences that make the comparison misleading.

Faulty generalization

Occurs when an inductive conclusion reaches further than the available evidence can reasonably support, or ignores information that should limit the generalization.

ConceptualEvidential

Intermediate Intro college

Faulty generalization companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when an inductive conclusion reaches further than the available evidence can reasonably support, or ignores information that should limit the generalization.

For the sake of argument denial

Occurs when a hypothetical premise is rejected simply because the speaker does not actually believe it.

ConceptualEpistemic

Advanced Intro college

For the sake of argument denial companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when a hypothetical premise is rejected simply because the speaker does not actually believe it.

Genetic fallacy

Occurs when a claim, practice, or idea is judged mainly by its origin rather than by its present content, evidence, or merits.

LinguisticConceptual

Intermediate Intro college

Genetic fallacy companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when a claim, practice, or idea is judged mainly by its origin rather than by its present content, evidence, or merits.

Homunculus fallacy

Occurs when a mind-like inner observer is smuggled in to explain mind-like abilities, thereby postponing rather than solving the explanation.

ConceptualPerspectival

Intermediate Intro college

Homunculus fallacy companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when a mind-like inner observer is smuggled in to explain mind-like abilities, thereby postponing rather than solving the explanation.

Human standard fallacy

Occurs when a human classification, rule, or label is treated as if it automatically determined the underlying fact or moral status.

ConceptualPerspectival

Intermediate Intro college

Human standard fallacy companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when a human classification, rule, or label is treated as if it automatically determined the underlying fact or moral status.

Impotent logical space

Occurs when a view is framed so every possible outcome fits it equally well, leaving no meaningful room for the claim to fail.

EvidentialConceptual

Intermediate High school

Impotent logical space companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when a view is framed so every possible outcome fits it equally well, leaving no meaningful room for the claim to fail.

Incomplete comparison

Occurs when one option is called better, worse, cheaper, safer, or more effective without specifying the relevant comparison class or the other factors that matter.

Conceptual

Intermediate Intro college

Incomplete comparison companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when one option is called better, worse, cheaper, safer, or more effective without specifying the relevant comparison class or the other factors that matter.

Inconsistent comparison

Occurs when different comparison targets are used across different dimensions to create the illusion of one all-around winner.

ConceptualEvidential

Intermediate Intro college

Inconsistent comparison companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when different comparison targets are used across different dimensions to create the illusion of one all-around winner.

Is-ought problem

Occurs when a descriptive claim about what is common, natural, or actual is treated as if it directly established what ought to be done.

Conceptual

Intermediate Intro college

Is-ought problem companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when a descriptive claim about what is common, natural, or actual is treated as if it directly established what ought to be done.

Linearity fallacy

Occurs when someone assumes that doubling the input will double the output even though the system has thresholds, saturation, feedback loops, or diminishing returns.

ConceptualMathematical

Advanced Intro college

Linearity fallacy companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when someone assumes that doubling the input will double the output even though the system has thresholds, saturation, feedback loops, or diminishing returns.

Motte and bailey fallacy

Occurs when someone advances a bold, controversial claim, retreats under criticism to a weaker and easier-to-defend claim, and then returns to the stronger claim as if th...

TacticalLinguisticConceptual

Intermediate Intro college

Motte and bailey fallacy companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when someone advances a bold, controversial claim, retreats under criticism to a weaker and easier-to-defend claim, and then returns to the stronger claim as if the weaker claim had defended it.

Naturalistic fallacy

Occurs when something is treated as good, safe, or morally preferable mainly because it is called natural, traditional, or closer to nature.

ConceptualEvidential

Intermediate Intro college

Naturalistic fallacy companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when something is treated as good, safe, or morally preferable mainly because it is called natural, traditional, or closer to nature.

Nirvana fallacy

Occurs when a realistic option is rejected because it does not solve a problem perfectly or because an imagined ideal is used as the standard of comparison.

Conceptual

Intermediate Intro college

Nirvana fallacy companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when a realistic option is rejected because it does not solve a problem perfectly or because an imagined ideal is used as the standard of comparison.

No True Scotsman

Occurs when someone protects a generalization from counterexamples by redefining the group with an ad hoc 'real' or 'true' membership test.

ConceptualLinguistic

Intermediate Intro college

No True Scotsman companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when someone protects a generalization from counterexamples by redefining the group with an ad hoc 'real' or 'true' membership test.

Overwhelming exception

Occurs when a general principle is padded with so many exceptions that it no longer guides action or says much of substance.

LinguisticConceptual

Advanced Intro college

Overwhelming exception companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when a general principle is padded with so many exceptions that it no longer guides action or says much of substance.

Package-deal fallacy

Occurs when traits that are often bundled together by stereotype, tradition, or habit are treated as if they must always come as a package.

Conceptual

Intermediate Intro college

Package-deal fallacy companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when traits that are often bundled together by stereotype, tradition, or habit are treated as if they must always come as a package.

Pathetic fallacy

Occurs when human feelings, intentions, or judgments are projected onto impersonal things and then treated as if the projection explained reality.

ConceptualPerspectival

Advanced Intro college

Pathetic fallacy companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when human feelings, intentions, or judgments are projected onto impersonal things and then treated as if the projection explained reality.

Perfect solution fallacy

Occurs when a useful solution is dismissed because it does not fully solve the problem or because some flaws would remain afterward.

ConceptualEvidential

Intermediate Intro college

Perfect solution fallacy companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when a useful solution is dismissed because it does not fully solve the problem or because some flaws would remain afterward.

Perfect standard

Occurs when a messy range of better and worse cases is collapsed into a rigid perfect-or-failed binary.

Conceptual

Intermediate Intro college

Perfect standard companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when a messy range of better and worse cases is collapsed into a rigid perfect-or-failed binary.

Perverted analogy

Occurs when an analogy is deliberately stretched past its intended point so it can be mocked or refuted.

TacticalConceptual

Intermediate Intro college

Perverted analogy companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when an analogy is deliberately stretched past its intended point so it can be mocked or refuted.

Proof by example

Occurs when one or a few examples are offered as if they were enough to establish a universal claim.

ConceptualEvidential

Intermediate Intro college

Proof by example companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when one or a few examples are offered as if they were enough to establish a universal claim.

Reification

Occurs when an abstraction is spoken of as if it were a concrete agent or thing in a way that misleads rather than merely using harmless metaphor.

ConceptualLinguisticPerspectival

Advanced Intro college

Reification companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when an abstraction is spoken of as if it were a concrete agent or thing in a way that misleads rather than merely using harmless metaphor.

Sharpshooter fallacy

Occurs when someone highlights the data cluster that supports a favored story only after looking at the results, then treats that hand-picked pattern as if it had been th...

EvidentialConceptual

Intermediate Intro college

Sharpshooter fallacy companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when someone highlights the data cluster that supports a favored story only after looking at the results, then treats that hand-picked pattern as if it had been the tested target all along.

Single cause fallacy

Occurs when a complex outcome is explained as if one cause alone did the work, while other relevant causes are ignored or illegitimately minimized.

CausalConceptual

Intermediate Intro college

Single cause fallacy companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when a complex outcome is explained as if one cause alone did the work, while other relevant causes are ignored or illegitimately minimized.

Slippery slope

Occurs when someone claims that a relatively small first step will trigger a chain of worsening outcomes without showing why that chain is likely, stable, or hard to stop...

CausalConceptual

Intermediate High school

Slippery slope companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when someone claims that a relatively small first step will trigger a chain of worsening outcomes without showing why that chain is likely, stable, or hard to stop.

Special pleading

Occurs when someone asks for an exception to a rule or standard but does not provide a relevant reason for why the favored case should be exempt.

EvidentialConceptual

Intermediate High school

Special pleading companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when someone asks for an exception to a rule or standard but does not provide a relevant reason for why the favored case should be exempt.

Suppressed correlative

Occurs when one term in a meaningful contrast is redefined so broadly or so narrowly that its opposing term can no longer do any work.

ConceptualLinguistic

Advanced Intro college

Suppressed correlative companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when one term in a meaningful contrast is redefined so broadly or so narrowly that its opposing term can no longer do any work.

Teleological fallacy

Occurs when a purpose, goal, or final destination is attributed to something without adequate evidence that such an end point was built into it.

Conceptual

Intermediate Intro college

Teleological fallacy companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when a purpose, goal, or final destination is attributed to something without adequate evidence that such an end point was built into it.

Top-down condemnation

Occurs when a negative trait found in one member of a group is used to condemn the group as a whole.

ConceptualEvidential

Intermediate Intro college

Top-down condemnation companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when a negative trait found in one member of a group is used to condemn the group as a whole.

Top-down faulty generalization

Occurs when a reasonable generalization is attacked by demanding that it hold without relevant scope conditions or exceptions.

ConceptualEvidential

Intermediate Intro college

Top-down faulty generalization companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when a reasonable generalization is attacked by demanding that it hold without relevant scope conditions or exceptions.

Top-down justification

Occurs when a positive trait found in one member of a group is used to justify a positive conclusion about the group as a whole.

ConceptualEvidential

Intermediate Intro college

Top-down justification companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when a positive trait found in one member of a group is used to justify a positive conclusion about the group as a whole.

Witness chain

Occurs when testimony is padded by unverifiable references to other alleged witnesses, creating the illusion of corroboration without actually providing independent suppo...

EvidentialConceptual

Intermediate High school

Witness chain companion poster in a retro mid-century editorial cartoon style, illustrating occurs when testimony is padded by unverifiable references to other alleged witnesses, creating the illusion of corroboration without actually providing independent support.