An erroneous reasoning or an incorrect

argument
It expresses lack of preciseness in the
words, phrases or sentences used to
express thought
-It intentionally uses a word or phrase
that suggests more than one meaning
in an argument
- is committed when a word carrying
different meanings is used in the same
context in a particular argument
-A KING moves one square in any
direction;
-But , Solomon is a king;
-Therefore, Solomon moves one square
in any direction.
-Is committed when the awkward
construction of one’s sentence allows a
double meaning caused by inexactness
of the expression.
-The grammatical construction of a
sentence is not clear and is therefore
open to different interpretations.
-He: Can I have your name, miss?
-She: why, don’t you already have one?

-In a newspaper ad:

-DOG for sale. Eats anything and is
especially fond of children.
-Is committed when we mistakenly
reason that what is true of the parts,
must therefore be true of the whole.
-Committed when two alternative
statements are held to be the only
possible choices, when in reality there
are more.
-“It wasn’t medicine that cured Budoy, so it must
have been a miracle!”

- Sen. Miriam Santiago: “We’ll have to cut

education funding this year.”
-Sen. Enrile: “why?”
-Sen: Santiago: “ Well, either we cut the social
programs or we live with a huge deficit and cant
live with the deficit.”
- occurs when, within the context of arguing, we
raise a question that makes a presupposition that
doesn’t hold, and then reason based on this.
- asking a question in such a way as to presuppose
the truth of some conclusion buried in the
question.
-“Have you stopped beating your wife?
- occurs when one incorrectly assumes one thing
is the cause of another.
-Has the form “Phenomenon X has occurred, after
which Y occurred. Therefore, X caused Y.
-Totoy Golem: How are you feeling today Asyong?
-Asyong: Everytime you come by to see me, I feel
worse. I might start feeling better if you stayed
away for a few weeks.
- After Budoy was vaccinated he developed
autism. Therefore the vaccine caused his autism (
temporal succession implies a causal relation)

-More cows die in the Philippines in the summer

months. More ice cream is consumed in summer
months. Therefore the consumption of ice cream
in the summer months is killing the cows.
-When we reason that was true in a weird
special case must, therefore , be generally
true.
-A person travels a town for the first
time. He sees 10 people, all of them are
children.
The person now concludes that there
are no adult residents in the town.
-Committed when anyone argues that
what is true as a general rule is also
true in some special cases.
-We have to be generous to others.
Therefore, during examination we have to
share our answers with our seatmates.

-One has to tell the truth always. Thus, if a

murderer confesses his crime to a priest, it
is but proper for the priest to reveal the
truth to the authority.
-Arises when something about an
argument tempts us to overlook the
fact that there really is no connection
between the premises and the
conclusion.
-Committed whenever one argues that
something must be true on the basis
that it has not been proved to be false
(or false on the basis that it has not
been proved to be true.
-“if you cant prove me wrong, then I must
be right.”

-Two days ago, we reported someone saw Fr.

John and Ms. Jane together. If it’s not true,
they will categorically deny it. Since they
did not, it only affirms our suspicion that
there really is an illicit affair going on
between them.
-When one attempts to popular assent
to a conclusion by using persuasively
emotive language.
-Is predicated on popular opinion as a
justification of the claim rather than
on reason and evidence.
-The result of the latest survey is that CJ
Corona is guilty of graft and corruption.
Since this is what majority of the people
think, then he must be really corrupt.
-Security Bank –Katipunan Branch is
suffering bankruptcy because many people
are withdrawing from the bank. Therefore,
the bank’s financial situation is worst and
insolvent.
-Appeals to physical force or moral
pressure rather than the merit of the
point at issue to win an argument.
-Man to the girl he is courting: “marry me
or if you refure, I shall kill you.”

-I deserve a good grade, wouldn’t you agree?

If you don’t , Im afraid you still don’t know
that I have a connection with the
Ampatuans.
-It consists in pleading for mercy and
disregarding the point in question. The
appeal must be relevant to the
conclusion being sought.
-“go ahead! Live with your boyfriend. Who
am I to say “No”?
-Im just your mother. Break my heart.

-Your honor, my client, Lorenzo, does not

deserve death by lethal injection. He has 3
small children that needs a father, and a
wife that needs a husband.
-It is an attack against the character of
the person rather than a challenge to
the merit of his argument.
-Don’t believe him! He’s gay!

-Are you going to agree with what that

bitch (B-i-a-t-c-h) is saying?!
-If one cites an “authority” who is not
an expert on the issue or the person
who supplies the opinion is not an
expert at all, or in one but in an
unrelated area.
-Sleeping with your hair wet can make you
blind. That’s true! That’s what our gardener
said.
-The argument fails to prove anything
because it somehow takes for granted
what is supposed to prove.
-“why are you here?
-Because Im not there!

-“why are you late?

-Because im not early!

-Beer causes drunkenness because it is

intoxicating.
-The stated conclusion does not follow
from its premise/s.
-The prisoner pleaded guilty. He then said he made a
mistake, and the judge allowed him to change his plea to
“not guilty”. The case was tried.
-One said:
-Prisoner, a few minutes ago you said you were a thief. Now
the jury say you are a liar. Consequently, you are
discharged.