E N G L I S H

FOR ACADEMIC AND

PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES
John Kevin C. Calara
Lesson No. 2.1
Logical Fallacy
 Vocabulary List

1. Stand - viewpoint
2. Claims - What do you want the reader to believe?
3. Reasons - Why should a reader accept your claim?
4. Evidence - What makes your reasoning valid?
5. Logical Fallacy - an error in reasoning which weakens an
argument.
6. Counterclaims – But what about other perspectives?
“Which would you follow, the decision that
your mind is saying or the choice that your
heart is dictating?”
 Logical Fallacy
Logical fallacies are deceptive or
false arguments that may seem
stronger than they actually are due to
psychological persuasion but are
proven wrong with reasoning and
further examination. These mistakes
in reasoning typically consist of an
argument and a premise that does not
Common Types of Logical Fallacies
1.Ad Hominem
2.Bandwagon
3.Post Hoc
4.Hasty Generalization
5.Appeal to Force
 Ad Hominem
An ad hominem fallacy is one that
attempts to invalidate an opponent’s
position based on a personal trait or
fact about the opponent rather than
through logic.
Example: Katherine is a bad choice for mayor
because she didn’t grow up in this town.
 Bandwagon
With the bandwagon fallacy, the
arguer claims that a certain action is
the right thing to do because it’s
popular.
Example: Of course it’s fine to wait until the
last minute to write your paper. Everybody
does it!
 Post Hoc
It is an informal fallacy that states:
“Since event A followed event B, event
A must have
been caused by event B.”
Example: Dina saw cat when they went
home. Along the way, they crashed into a
tree. The black cat must be
the reason why they met an accident.
 Hasty Generalization
Occurs when a sample is not
significant enough to support a
generalization about a Population.
Example: Martha, the student from CMIS is
very impolite. People from CMIS are mean and
rude.
 Appeal to Force
Occurs when a threat, instead of reasoning is
used to argue.

Example: If you do not admit that evolution is not

real, we will isolate you from the group.
 Hasty Generalization
“Some teenagers in our community
recently vandalized the park
downtown. Teenagers are so
irresponsible and destructive.”
 Bandwagon
Most Filipinas want to have fair skin
because they think they look
beautiful. Therefore, having fair skin
must be the real standard of beauty.
 Appeal to Force
You had better agree that the new
school policy is the best bet if you
expect to stay in this university.
 Bandwagon
Everyone is getting tattoos in
college, so you might as well do it
too.
 Ad Hominem
We cannot approve of this recycling
idea. It was thought of by a bunch
of hippie communist weirdos.
 Post Hoc
Yesterday I ate blackberries, and
today I have a stomachache. The
blackberries must have caused this
stomachache.
 Hasty Generalization
My father smoked four packs of
cigarettes a day since age fourteen and
lived until age sixty-nine. Therefore,
smoking really can’t be that bad for
you.
Write 2 example
statements for each
Logical
A. Bandwagon Fallacies:
B. Ad Hominem
C. Post Hoc
D. Hasty Generalization
E. Appeal to Force
Review!!!
A. Bandwagon
B. Ad Hominem
C. Post Hoc
D. Hasty Generalization
E. Appeal to Force
 3 WAYS OF EXPLAINING A CONCEPT

DEFINITION A method of identifying a term and making its

meaning clearer.

A method of explanation in which sentences, verses,

EXPLICATION quotes, or passages are taken away from a source and
then interpreted and explained in a detailed way.

CLARIFICATION Entails the analysis of the concept by looking at the

examples.
 3 WAYS OF EXPLAINING A CONCEPT

DEFINITION Democracy is a system of government where

the citizens exercise power by voting.
Taylor Swift introduces the concept of love as a
EXPLICATION "blank space," symbolizing the fresh beginnings
and possibilities that each new romance holds.
Love typically defines it as an intense feeling of deep affection or a
strong attachment towards someone or something. It encompasses a
CLARIFICATION range of emotions, from romantic love between partners to familial
love for family members, and can also refer to feelings of passion,
devotion, and care.
 DEFINITION

Defining a term by giving the genus

FORMAL (family/class) and differentia (description) of
the term.
Provides operational definition or how a term
INFORMAL is used when applied in a specific context,
synonym or antonym.
Used to define abstract concepts by using
EXTENDED analogy, metaphors, comparison and contrast
etc.
 Definition (Example) LOVE

FORMAL Love is an intense emotion of deep affection

care and commitment that can be exciting.
The actions and behaviors that one
INFORMAL demonstrates towards another person, such as
kindness, compassion, empathy, and devotion.

EXTENDED Love is a fire that may give or destroy

lives.
 informal
Shareholders are the investors who play an
important role in a company.
 extended
Germs are like a gang of villains invading our
body, attacking our unseen defenders known
as antibodies.
 Formal
Astronomy is a branch of scientific study
primarily concerned with celestial objects in
and outside of the earth’s atmosphere.
 Formal
An artist is a person who creates arts using
conscious skills and creative imagination.
 informal
Freedom is also referred to as liberty or
independence. It is a state people reach when
they are free to think and do what ever they
please.
 EXPLICATION (example)

Education
“Education is not about learning of facts, but the
training of the mind to think.” – Albert Einstein.
The value of a school or college education is to train
the mind to think something that cannot be learned
from textbooks, it is to create the capacity of
integrated understanding and an ability to use the
knowledge intelligently.
 CLARIFICATION (example)
Justice is a broad concept which
encompasses a wide set of ideas, most
of which also branch out into smaller
notions. For instance, it can refer to the
sentencing of a criminal based on due
process. When an individual gets what
he deserves, even outside the hands of
law, it is also considered justice in some
context. This may come in the form of
 Half Time Review

Determine which passage uses definition,

explication, or clarification in explaining the
concept.
Nathaniel Hawthorne opens his novel, The Scarlet Letter, with a
paragraph that depicts a crowd assembled in front of a prison
door. The people are waiting for Hester Prynne to show up with
her scarlet letter “A.” The author describes the crowd as a
“throng,” suggesting a mob-like and densely packed group. The
mood is not pleasant, but somber- displayed by their “sad-
colored” garments.
EXPLICATION
 Half Time Review

Determine which passage uses definition,

explication, or clarification in explaining the
concept.
Social activism is the use of direct, often confrontational actions such as
demonstrations or strike, rallies, or other mass acts rather than supporting a
cause. Further, it is an action directed at cultivating changes, practices or
policies to effect social change.

DEFINITION
 Half Time Review

Determine which passage uses definition,

explication, or clarification in explaining the
concept.
Bullying is the repetitive, intentional hurting of one person or group by another
person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power. A
simple pushing, kicking, and hitting is an example of physical bullying. Verbal
bullying like name calling, sarcasm and threats are also some of the most
common examples of bullying

CLARIFICATION
 Half Time Review

HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN A CONCEPT?

a. Definition b. Explication c. Clarification
• Formal
• Informal
• Extended
Note: Use your formal theme.
Task:
1.In a short paragraph, explain what a logical fallacy in writing is.
2.In the sentence "Smoking must be healthy because my
grandfather smoked his whole life and lived to be 97."
What is the evident logical fallacy?
3.Referring to the same sentence, in 2-3 sentences, explain why
the argument is flawed due to the logical fallacy. How does the
fallacy mislead or distract from the real issue.
4.Try to rewrite the argument without the fallacy to make it more
logical or persuasive.
 Pair Activity
Directions: Select 5 words from the box. Look or search for the definition of the
following terms. Identify what technique of definition is used for each explanation.
TERM EXPLANATION TYPE OF
EXPLANATION Politics
Religion
Business
Chemistry
Economics
Parabola
Menu
Ethics
Government
Professional