Don't be fooled by faulty logic.

Straw Man

Making up a fake, silly version of what someone said just so you can easily say it's wrong.

False Cause

Thinking that just because two things happen together, one thing made the other thing happen.

Appeal to Emotion

Trying to make someone feel sad, angry, or scared so they agree with you, instead of giving a real reason.

The Fallacy Fallacy

Thinking that because someone explained something badly, their whole idea must be wrong.

Slippery Slope

Saying that if we do one small thing, a giant terrible thing will definitely happen later.

Ad Hominem

Calling someone a mean name instead of talking about their idea.

Tu Quoque

When someone tells you not to do something bad, and you say 'But you did it too!' instead of stopping.

Personal Incredulity

Saying something isn't true just because you don't understand how it works.

Special Pleading

Making up a special excuse when you are caught being wrong.

Loaded Question

Asking a question that makes the other person look bad no matter how they answer.

Burden of Proof

Saying something crazy is true, and telling other people THEY have to prove it's fake.

Ambiguity

Using words that can mean two different things to trick someone.

The Gambler's Fallacy

Thinking that just because something happened a lot, the opposite is 'due' to happen next.

Bandwagon

Thinking something is a good idea just because lots of other people are doing it.

Appeal to Authority

Thinking something is true just because an important person or a famous person said it.

Composition/Division

Thinking that what is true for one tiny piece must be true for the whole giant thing.

No True Scotsman

Changing the rules of a group just to leave someone out because they did something you don't like.

Genetic

Deciding if an idea is good or bad based only on who told it to you.

Black-or-White

Pretending there are only two choices when there are actually lots of other options.

Begging the Question

Trying to prove something is true by just saying it's true over and over again.

Appeal to Nature

Thinking that everything from nature is good and everything made by people is bad.

Anecdotal

Using one small story about yourself instead of looking at the big picture or facts.

The Texas Sharpshooter

Only looking at the clues that make you look right, and ignoring all the clues that show you are wrong.

Middle Ground

Thinking the best answer is always right in the middle of two ideas.

Appeal to Tradition

Thinking we have to keep doing something just because we've always done it that way.

Argument from Ignorance

Saying something is true just because nobody has proven it's false yet.

Red Herring

Changing the subject completely to distract someone from the real problem.

Hasty Generalization

Making a big rule based on only one or two tiny examples.

Circular Reasoning

Explaining something by just repeating the same idea in different words.

Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc

Thinking that because Thing A happened before Thing B, Thing A caused Thing B.

Sunk Cost Fallacy

Keeping doing something bad just because you've already spent a lot of time on it.

Nirvana Fallacy

Saying a good idea is bad just because it's not 100% perfect.

Spotlight Fallacy

Thinking that everyone is like the few people you see on TV or in the news.

Shotgun Argumentation

Yelling a hundred different arguments so fast that no one can answer them all.

Survivorship Bias

Only looking at the winners and ignoring all the people who tried the exact same thing and failed.

Guilt by Association

Saying an idea is bad just because a bad person happens to like it too.

Appeal to Consequences

Saying something isn't true just because the truth makes you feel sad or scared.

Moral Equivalence

Pretending a tiny mistake is exactly as bad as a huge, terrible thing.

False Analogy

Comparing two things that are a tiny bit alike, and pretending they are alike in every way.

Wishful Thinking

Believing something is true just because you really, really want it to be true.

Appeal to Novelty

Thinking that something is better just because it's brand new.

Motte and Bailey

Saying something crazy, and when people get mad, you pretend you only meant something normal.

Appeal to Force

Using threats or bullying to make someone agree with you, instead of giving a good reason.

Fallacy of Relative Privation

Saying a problem doesn't matter because there are bigger problems somewhere else.

Etymological Fallacy

Saying a word can only mean what it meant a long, long time ago, instead of what it means now.

Non Sequitur

Saying something that has absolutely nothing to do with what was just said before.

Affirming the Consequent

Thinking that just because you know the end of a story, you know exactly how it started.