Logical Fallacies
A logical fallacy is a pattern of reasoning that feels persuasive but doesn't actually support its conclusion. Some are formal — broken structure, invalid no matter the content — but most everyday ones are informal: the content or context misleads even though the shape looks fine.[1] Learning to name them is a practical skill: once you can spot a straw man or a false dilemma, you stop being moved by it. Below are a few of the most common — many of which work precisely because they exploit predictable quirks of human judgment, the same quirks studied as cognitive biases.
Drill down
Ad Hominem
Attacking the person making an argument instead of the argument itself.
Straw Man
Refuting a distorted, weaker version of someone's position instead of what they actually argued.
False Dilemma
Presenting only two options when more exist, forcing a choice between artificial extremes.
Circular Reasoning
Assuming the conclusion inside the premises, so the argument only proves what it already took for granted.
Appeal to Authority
Treating "an authority said so" as proof — especially when the authority is irrelevant, biased, or not actually expert.
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