- Accidents:
Suppose a freak incident to reject a general rule, the freak feature helps overturn general rule. Vice veresa, when it is claimed that you are breaking the rules, dig up the freakiest case: if the rule doesn't apply in this case, why should it to yours?
- Affirming the consequent:
Mix up the antecedents and consequents. In an 'if... then...' construction, it is not correct to affirm the consequent in order to prove the antecedent! This is extremely useful when you wish to impute base motives to someone. E.g. If I drop an egg, it breaks. This egg is broken, so I must have dropped it.
- Antiquitam, argumentum ad:
This supposes that something is good or right simply because it is old. (But after all, human progress is made by replacing the old with new) A belief or action being old does not make it right, any more than it makes it wrong. E.g. You are not having a car, I never had a car, my father never had one; nor did his father before him.
- Apriorism:
Usually, observation of facts test our principles. To start out with principle and use them to accept/reject facts is the wrong way round. Relationship between principle and fact is complicated: we need some kind of principle, otherwise nothing presents itself as fact in the first place. E.g. In patent medicine, principle governs the interpretation of facts, such that recovery approves the medicine; while lack of recovery was proof that more is needed.
- Bifurcation:
The presentation of only 2 alternatives where others exist. E.g. If you are not with us, you are against us.
- Blinding with science:
Use of technical jargon to deceive audience, blinding them to the true merits of what is being said.
- Bogus dilemma:
Presenting false consequences or false choices. E.g. If you become a politician, you tell the truth, men will hate you; you tell lies, god will hate you. Since you must tell either truth or lies, you will be hated.
- Circus in probando:
Using as evidence a fact, which is authenticated by the very conclusion it supports. E.g.'I have the diamond, so I shall be the leader.' 'Why should you get to keep the diamond?' 'Because I'm the leader, stupid!'
- Complex question:
A question that conceals an assumption. The answer is basically assumed before it is given. E.g. Did the pollution you caused increase or decrease your profits? E.g. Would you prefer to go to bed now, or after you've finished your cocoa?
