# Name That Fallacy! **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [May 11, 2010, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-fallacy/539064 "2010-05-11T16:47:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HardlySanguine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HardlySanguine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HardlySanguine)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-fallacy/539064/1 "2010-05-11T16:47:56Z")
Inspired by Sage Rat’s [GQ title](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=12439848) Each poster must identify the logical fallacy presented by the previous poster. Then, present one of their own. I think this will work best (and be the most instructional) if the scenarios presented are actual anecdotes or real-to-life. I’ve always been fascinated with fallacies and how easily people can fall for them – I’m hoping this will be educational for all of us. Here’s one to start with (multiple correct answers): > [@](#): > > Billy Bob and Gordon are driving down the highway, playing [Punch Buggy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punch_buggy). After an hour (and a very sore arm), Gordon turns to Billy Bob and says, “Gee Willikers, Billy Bob, there sure are a lot of VW Beetles out there! This game would be more fun with a rarer car.” What logical fallacy has Gordon succumbed to? Provide a link explaining the fallacy, if you can. ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f08c70/32.png) [@Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Brother_Walker)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-fallacy/539064/2 "2010-05-12T04:45:35Z")
I believe the fallacy is that Gordon and Billy Bob are driving on a road near a VW manufacturer or dealership. Therefore, there are plenty of VWs on the road. My turn: Two nuns are driving around the town at night when a vampire attacks them by jumping on their hood. It grabs onto the car and is trying to get through the front windscreen. The Mother nun says: “Try to get him off! Show him your cross.” The other nun points her crucifix at him and shouts “GET OFF THE CAR, YOU TOOTHY GIT!” Or is that too easy? ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-fallacy/539064/3 "2010-05-12T05:23:42Z")
But… but… she showed him her crucifix ??? Am I being whooshed? ---
**Author:** ![HardlySanguine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HardlySanguine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HardlySanguine)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-fallacy/539064/4 "2010-05-12T05:47:35Z")
> [@Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](#): > > I believe the fallacy is that Gordon and Billy Bob are driving on a road near a VW manufacturer or dealership. Therefore, there are plenty of VWs on the road. > > My turn: Two nuns are driving around the town at night when a vampire attacks them by jumping on their hood. It grabs onto the car and is trying to get through the front windscreen. > > The Mother nun says: “Try to get him off! Show him your cross.” > > The other nun points her crucifix at him and shouts “GET OFF THE CAR, YOU TOOTHY GIT!” > Or is that too easy? Appeal to authority (Argumentum ad verecundiam). > [@](#): > > Sally and Mike are having an argument over who should fetch the remote. Sally says that since she’s a girl, Mike should have to fetch it. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-fallacy/539064/5 "2010-05-12T13:13:22Z")
Non sequitur - her point is unrelated to the topic at hand. Alice and Bob are discussing Carol, known for being promiscuous and bragging about it. Upon meeting Carol’s ex, Dave, who is rather crazy, and insists on having sex with Carol then and there on a public street, Bob decides that, since Carol declined, she was ‘all talk’ and probably a virgin. What fallacy does Bob (rather bizarrely) fall into here? ---
**Author:** ![GoodOmens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@GoodOmens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoodOmens)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-fallacy/539064/6 "2010-05-12T14:01:37Z")
The VW example looks a lot like confirmation bias, even though that’s not an “official” fallacy it certainly plays the same role. Gordon believes that there are more VW’s than there actually are because the appearance of each one is reinforced (painfully) for him. ---
**Author:** ![GoodOmens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@GoodOmens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoodOmens)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-fallacy/539064/7 "2010-05-12T14:03:40Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > Non sequitur - her point is unrelated to the topic at hand. > > Alice and Bob are discussing Carol, known for being promiscuous and bragging about it. Upon meeting Carol’s ex, Dave, who is rather crazy, and insists on having sex with Carol then and there on a public street, Bob decides that, since Carol declined, she was ‘all talk’ and probably a virgin. > > What fallacy does Bob (rather bizarrely) fall into here? I’d say that’s converse fallacy of accident, assuming that particular leads to a generalization. Carol’s refusal to have sex in one instance does not mean that she refuses to have sex in all other instances. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-fallacy/539064/8 "2010-05-12T16:40:59Z")
“All Scotsmen are cheap.” “Not true, Angus McGonnigle was a noted philanthropist.” “Then he wasn’t a Scotsmen.”😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2010, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-fallacy/539064/9 "2010-05-13T02:57:11Z")
> [@furryman](#): > > “All Scotsmen are cheap.” > “Not true, Angus McGonnigle was a noted philanthropist.” > “Then he wasn’t a Scotsmen.”😃 Don’t think I need to point this one out. 🙂 My favorite fallacy: After Johnny prayed for it he got an A on his test, therefore God exists and answers prayers. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2010, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-fallacy/539064/10 "2010-05-13T03:29:01Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Don’t think I need to point this one out. 🙂 > > My favorite fallacy: > > After Johnny prayed for it he got an A on his test, therefore God exists and answers prayers. Post hoc ergo propter hoc. @the nun one. The nun thought her partner said “Show him (that) **you’re** cross.” as opposed to “Show him **your** cross.” What fallacy is that? @tengu. Were you aiming for “hasty generalization”? I can’t think of one to propose right now, so skip me. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2010, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-fallacy/539064/11 "2010-05-13T03:33:58Z")
OK, got one: > [@](#): > > Man, my knee really hurts. Every time it’s about to rain, my knee just aches like nobody’s business. I guess I better take an umbrella to work today. ---
**Author:** ![HardlySanguine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HardlySanguine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HardlySanguine)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2010, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-fallacy/539064/12 "2010-05-13T04:50:00Z")
> [@GoodOmens](#): > > The VW example looks a lot like confirmation bias, even though that’s not an “official” fallacy it certainly plays the same role. Gordon believes that there are more VW’s than there actually are because the appearance of each one is reinforced (painfully) for him. Yes, this was what I was thinking of. Or Negativity bias, I suppose. > [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > OK, got one: > > > [@](#): > > > > Man, my knee really hurts. Every time it’s about to rain, my knee just aches like nobody’s business. I guess I better take an umbrella to work today. [Post hoc ergo propter hoc](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_hoc_ergo_propter_hoc)? Ignoring the fact that the rain and knee hurting may be unrelated. Here’s one I’ve seen around here. I suppose I’m exaggerating a bit: > [@](#): > > SMDB Poster X: “Religion is evil and is trying to brainwash everyone!” ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2010, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-fallacy/539064/13 "2010-05-13T13:55:09Z")
> [@HardlySanguine](#): > > [Post hoc ergo propter hoc](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_hoc_ergo_propter_hoc)? Ignoring the fact that the rain and knee hurting may be unrelated. Noooope, try again. Assume that my knee does, indeed, hurt when it rains. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2010, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-fallacy/539064/14 "2010-05-13T13:57:42Z")
> [@HardlySanguine](#): > > Here’s one I’ve seen around here. I suppose I’m exaggerating a bit: Begging the question/circular reasoning? 1. Religion is evil 2. Therefore, it brainwashes people. 3. Thus, religion is evil. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2010, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-fallacy/539064/15 "2010-05-13T15:26:49Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > @tengu. Were you aiming for “hasty generalization”? The actual conversation was an excluded middle thing - ‘Bob’ (actually several people)'s argument was if she wasn’t ‘anytime, anywhere, anyone’, she must be chaste and if not virginal, at least not that experienced. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2010, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-fallacy/539064/16 "2010-05-13T16:28:40Z")
> [@HardlySanguine](#): > > Here’s one I’ve seen around here. I suppose I’m exaggerating a bit: > > SMDB Poster X: “Religion is evil and is trying to brainwash everyone!” Anthropomorphism? ---
**Author:** ![HardlySanguine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HardlySanguine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HardlySanguine)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-fallacy/539064/17 "2010-05-14T04:00:47Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > Noooope, try again. Assume that my knee does, indeed, hurt when it rains. Righty! [Questionable Cause](http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/questionable-cause.html) (confusing cause and effect)? I think post hoc does work here, too. For what reason are you discounting it? Could fall under Appeal to Tradition, too. Barely. > [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > Begging the question/circular reasoning? > > 1. Religion is evil > 2. Therefore, it brainwashes people. > 3. Thus, religion is evil. > [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > Anthropomorphism? I was thinking of Antroporphism (AKA [Pathetic Fallacy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathetic_fallacy), AKA Reification, AKA Hypostatization). The statement certainly is circular, as well:D . Here’s another, if people are still interested: > [@](#): > > My friend often gets upset at people offering him parental advice when they aren’t parents themselves. His argument is that “they don’t know what it’s like” and cannot have anything of value to contribute on the subject. ---
**Author:** ![Taber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ac91a4/32.png) [@Taber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taber)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-fallacy/539064/18 "2010-05-14T05:57:40Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > Post hoc ergo propter hoc. > > @the nun one. The nun thought her partner said “Show him (that) **you’re** cross.” as opposed to “Show him **your** cross.” What fallacy is that? > . I think it is an equivalence fallacy ---
**Author:** ![Dioptre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/278dde/32.png) [@Dioptre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dioptre)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-fallacy/539064/19 "2010-05-14T13:02:22Z")
> [@](#): > > My friend often gets upset at people offering him parental advice when they aren’t parents themselves. His argument is that “they don’t know what it’s like” and cannot have anything of value to contribute on the subject. > Reply With Quote This is a reverse application of “Appeal to Authority”. The value of information or argument is not tied to the source. In this particular case “They offer me advice that is obviously not applicable, and I believe the cause of the advice being bad is that they haven’t been parents and don’t understand the situation” would remove the fallacy. There’s a secondary fallacy in that experience as a participant isn’t the only way to observe or understand something, but I don’t know the name of that one. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-fallacy/539064/20 "2010-05-14T13:58:14Z")
“My friend often gets upset at people offering him parental advice when they aren’t parents themselves. His argument is that ‘they don’t know what it’s like’ and cannot have anything of value to contribute on the subject.” Sounds like an ad hominem - attacking the arguer instead of the argument. My neighbor’s kid is in the Boy Scouts of America, a 100 year old organization, which is weird because he only looks around 12 or so.