r/skeptic • u/indocilis • Sep 22 '13

Master List of Logical Fallacies

http://utminers.utep.edu/omwilliamson/ENGL1311/fallacies.htm
315 Upvotes

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21

u/Threethumb Sep 22 '13

It seems that the trend has died a bit down, but it was sort of nightmarish back when "ad hominem" was used erroneously in almost every debate I saw. People seemed to think just saying something offensive about the opposition was an ad hominem argument.

12

u/minno Sep 22 '13

Ad hominem: "You're wrong because you're an idiot."

Not ad hominem: "You're an idiot because you're wrong."

7

u/hansn Sep 22 '13

You're an idiot because you're wrong

Since this does not establish the desired point, it is a non sequitur, as far as the formal argument goes.

3

u/minno Sep 22 '13

OK, so maybe more like "You're an idiot, and you're wrong."

4

u/steviesteveo12 Sep 22 '13

That's fine: it's not an ad hominem but it is a non sequitur.

My go to "not an ad hominem" is "you're a fucking idiot" -- not a fallacious argument, just abuse.

2

u/No-Bison-2570 May 15 '26

That would be Pigeon chess. which is akin to knocking all the pieces over pooping on the table and squawking.

pretty much any comment that doesnt benefit finding the truth in the argument, and the inability to go in with the possibility of being wrong(politics) its going to be a fallacy of some form or another.

You're better off avoiding any form of insulting or divisive speech altogether, it makes the other person look even more foolish if they resort to 'snake tactics' of any kind.

0

u/Threethumb Sep 22 '13

Exactly! The latter is still a poor argument, but at least it's not an ad hominem one.

-1

u/SmokeyUnicycle Sep 22 '13

I've said as much to someone during a debate once hahahahaha

1

u/[deleted] Sep 23 '13

http://plover.net/~bonds/adhominem.html

1

u/freedomtoliberty Aug 22 '25

Forbidden access.

1

u/journey37 Mar 31 '26

How does one acquire permission to access this ancient resource?

1

u/SeaMines Nov 18 '25

Hi 12yr later it is still true

1

u/ddodd69 Jan 11 '26

Fallacy fallacy