INTFILO

Logical Fallacies
FALLACIES THAT VIOLATE THE RELEVANCE CRITERION
Fallacies of Irrelevance
o Irrelevant or Questionable Authority

Claim X is made. Source Y, a fake or unverifiable source, is

use to verify claim X. Therefore, claim X is true

Quotes non-expert, no one, or of questionable authority

I read the other day that you have to drink 20
glasses of water everyday to be happy.
o Appeal to Common Opinion (Bandwagon)

A lot of people believe X. Therefore, X must be true.

If many believe so, it is so.

Everyones doing it.
The Vikings wore horned helmets.
o Genetic Fallacy (Origin of the object)

The origin of the claim is presented. Therefore, the claim is true/false.

Avoids argument by bringing up its origins

Women should not wear heels. Heels were invented
by male butchers. So, only men should wear heels.
o Rationalization
Reason A is given for claim B, although reason A is not the
real reason.
Palusot ka pa.
Its okay for me to devour at the buffet because I
did not eat a lot yesterday.
She lost because the judges have bias towards the
other one.

Irrelevant Emotional Appeals

o Appeal to Pity

Person 1 is accused of Y, but person 1 is pathetic. Therefore, Person 1 is

innocent.

Paawa pa more.

Sir, please give me a job. I have ten mouths to feed

and no shelter to live.
Dont hurt him, hes my lover.
o Appeal to Force of Threat
If you dont accept X as true, I will hurt you.
Gawin mon a kasi, kundi lagot ka sa akin.
Kumanta ka ng maayos, kundi sasapakin kita.
Kuwarto para sa kwatro.
o Appeal to Tradition

We have been doing X for generations. Therefore, we should keep doing X.

Our ancestors thought X was right. Therefore, X is right.

Yan na yung kinasanayan, yan ang tama.

Lahat sa pamilya ay accountants, dapat maging
accountant ka rin.
Ang dalagang Pilipina nilligawan, hindi nanliligaw.
o Appeal to Personal Circumstance or Motives

Person 1 is claiming Y. Person 1 has a vested interest in Y being true.

Therefore, Y is false

Just say yes, it will be good for you anyways.

Huwag mo nang sabihin kay sir para lahat tayo may
bonus.
If you become a drug dealer, youll be rich!
o Exploitation of Strong Feelings and Attitudes
Mahiya ka naman sa pinag-gagawa mo, tandaan mo kung
sino ako o anong nangyari.
We protect our own, so dont talk about it in court.
Aba, anlakas mong lumaban. Tandaan mo, may
utang na loob ka.
o Use of Flattery

X is true. (flattery goes here). Therefore, X is true.

Bolahin mo na para umuo, kahit na tama ka.

Love, vous etes beau. Faisons lamour.
Ambait mo naming bata. Sige, gawin mo nga to.
o Assigning Guilt by Association

Person 1 states that Y is true. Person 2 also states that Y is true, and person
2 is a moron. Therefore, person 1 must be a moron too.

Sino pang naniniwala dyan? Da pak, ayaw kong makatulad

nila.
Iboboto mo si Tan? Eiw, siya ini-endorse ni
Chau(kaaway).
Anti ka sa separation of church and state? Yan din
sabi ng mga masasama (INC member) .

FALLACIES THAT VIOLATE THE ACCEPTABILITY CRITERION

Fallacies of Linguistic Confusion
o Equivocation
Using an ambiguous term in more than one sense, thus making an argument
misleading.

Lituhin mo sa salita.
.
Dont hurt him, hes my lover.