My favourite is the 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' witch trial scene , how many fallacies can you spot? Answer from Deleted User on reddit.com
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/askphilosophy › help finding real life examples of logical fallacies?
r/askphilosophy on Reddit: Help finding real life examples of logical fallacies?
September 16, 2020 -

I am a high school teacher who is starting a unit on critical thinking. Part of this includes analyzing arguments for logical flaws. To try and make this subject slightly more interesting to a bunch of 11th graders (16 and 17 year olds, for those of you unfamiliar with US grades), I’m trying to find some examples used in advertising, by historical figures, and other figures of pop culture. I teach in Trumplandia, so I am trying to stay away from political examples (even though the examples from him are endless).

I thought finding such a list of examples would be easy! Unfortunately, it has been anything but. Does anyone know where I can find a sort of compendium of real world uses of logical fallacies to try and help my students make connections with the material? It’d be a huuuuuuge help!

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Mark Manson
markmanson.net › home › 8 logical fallacies that mess us all up
8 Logical Fallacies That Mess Us All Up
February 8, 2023 - This is a distraction from the real point of debate: whether eating meat is inherently unethical. These kinds of distractions from the argument are known as “red herrings.” And if you—god forbid—spend lots of time watching and reading the news, you will notice a large proportion of what is said and written is some form of a red herring. Red herrings are also usually logical fallacies themselves. For example, the assumption that because Hitler was vegetarian, and Hitler was unethical, vegetarianism must be unethical is known as the Fallacy of Composition—when something that is true for a part is assumed to be true for the whole (i.e., Paul is American and he is short, therefore Americans must be short).
Discussions

Help finding real life examples of logical fallacies?
My favourite is the 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' witch trial scene , how many fallacies can you spot? More on reddit.com
🌐 r/askphilosophy
18
15
September 16, 2020
Real life fallacy examples
Trump. Speeches, posts, interviews, he puts them out in droves. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/fallacy
5
2
March 7, 2024
ELI5: All the common "logical fallacies" that you see people referring to on Reddit.

There are loads. But some common ones:

  • Ad hominem To attack the person not the argument: "We should increase taxes", "Don't listen to him, he only showers once a week".

I've been getting a lot of replies about this one. An ad hominem only occurs if you ignore the argument and attack the person to undermine the argument. "It's hot outside, let's all go for ice-cream." "That's a bad idea. I'm diabetic, you moron" is not ad hominem. It's not a very nice response, but he still counters the argument with a reason. "Men are more likely to drink-drive, so all men should be banned from driving." "You're a massive idiot." still isn't really ad hominem; he is attacking the person, but it is more like an insult than a counter argument. "Board games are the root of all evil. If we ban them then crime will go down." "You are clearly uneducated and a fool, so this cannot be true." is an ad hominem fallacy. And now I've probably made everything more confusing.

  • Circular Reasoning Where the reason relies on the conclusion being true. "God exists because the Bible says so; Bible is true since it's the word of God".

  • Slippery slope The assumption that accepting one thing will lead to increasing undesirable other things. "If we let the immigrants in then they will take our jobs, leaving us homeless and then our children will be forced to work as prostitutes for food. Is that what you want? Child prostitutes?"

  • False Dilemma Forcing or suggesting there are only two possible options in a situation, where really there are many. "Steve insulted my mother, so I had to either punch him or be forever known as a wuss"

  • Tu quoque Literally you too (I think). Basically saying that if you don't do it, why should I? "My doctor told me to lose weight, but what does he know? He's fatter than me!"

  • Appeal to Authority Where a statement by an irrelevant authoritative figure or group is used. "Dr Steve says the vaccine causes cancer, so that vaccine must be banned." "Tiger Woods says this 10 bladed razor is way better than a 3 bladed one. The 7 extra blades therefore clearly make a difference."

  • Appeal to Popularity Where if a sizeable group of people belief in something, the belief must be correct. "300,000 Indians eat rice every day, therefore it must be healthy."

  • Appeal to Ignorance Where you assume something is true because it hasn't been proven false. Your standard "I don't know, therefore aliens".

  • Loaded Question Asking a question that presumes a certain fact. "What's your opinion on the immigrants that are ruining our society?" assumes immigrants are ruining our society, and by answering it directly you agree with this statement.

  • Straw Man Misrepresent the argument to make it easier to knock down. "We should give free fruit to school kids", "Yeah, let's just give everyone free food. That would just lead to obesity and a greater deficit".

  • Post Hoc (ergo propter hoc) Claiming that because something happens after something else, the first caused the second. "I wore my green socks today, and then found out my wife was leaving me. I didn't know she hated them that badly."

  • Gamblers' Fallacy Believing that a deviation in a series of (independent) chance events will soon be met by a deviation the opposite way. "I've given birth to six boys. My next kid is definitely a girl!"

  • Middle Ground Saying that a compromise between two extreme position is the correct one, solely because it is in the middle. "Schools are being forced to teach both creationism and the theory of evolution. The truth must be somewhere in between; they should teach the theory of creatioevolutionism."

  • Appeal to Emotion Relying on manipulating emotions rather than a solid argument. "Look at this poor little dog. Look at it! He looks so miserable and depressed. We should take him home and look after him." or "Meth. Not even once."

  • "Fallacy" Fallacy The fallacy you might use after reading this list. An argument contains a fallacy, therefore the conclusion is wrong. "The Meth. Not even once. campaign is just one massive appeal to emotion fallacy. Therefore there is no reason to stop doing meth."

I've probably forgotten a few.

Examples are meant to be exaggerated. In real life they are often more subtle, and the names aren't important as long as you recognise that there's something wrong.

Edit: Adding more fallacies that others have mentioned for a more complete list.

Edit: Added Middle Ground, fixed some grammar errors, formatting.

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People also ask

Why do people use logical fallacies?
People use logical fallacies for different reasons. In some cases, speakers and writers intentionally use logical fallacies in an effort to make their opposition look worse, to simplify an issue, or make their own position look superior. In other cases, people use them unintentionally, either because they haven’t thought their statements through or don’t understand why their arguments are logically flawed.
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What are the main types of logical fallacies?
Logical fallacies are mainly divided into formal and informal fallacies. Formal fallacies involve errors in the logical structure of an argument, while informal fallacies involve errors in the premises, form, and content of the argument.
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research.com
research.com › home › logical fallacies: examples and pitfalls in research and media for 2026
Logical Fallacies: Examples and Pitfalls in Research and Media ...
Why is it important to recognize logical fallacies?
Recognizing logical fallacies is important because it helps ensure that conclusions and arguments are sound and reliable. It also aids in detecting, invalidating, or correcting flawed arguments made by others.
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yourdictionary.com › reading & writing › rhetorical devices › examples of fallacies in everyday life
Examples of Fallacies in Everyday Life | YourDictionary
January 5, 2023 - Without searching to find out if fairy tales have sprung to life in midtown Manhattan, she believes it to be true. Princess Kate wears Alexander McQueen. Are you trying to say you have better fashion sense than a royal princess? Appeal to ignorance fallacies occur when someone asserts a claim that must be accepted because no one else can prove otherwise.
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AudienceScience
audiencescience.com › home › digital marketing › ads with logical fallacies:
Ads With Logical Fallacies: Types & Real-Life Examples
June 30, 2025 - Attention-grabbing: Without a doubt, ads with illogical or misleading messages tend to stand out more than traditional commercials. Anything that goes against the audience’s logical thinking is more memorable. Emotional triggers: Those fallacies are meant to tap into the target audience’s feelings, including fear, love, guilt, etc., going beyond their logical thinking.
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The Writing Center
writingcenter.unc.edu › home › tips & tools › fallacies
Fallacies – The Writing Center
December 29, 2011 - The information the arguer has given might feel relevant and might even get the audience to consider the conclusion—but the information isn’t logically relevant, and so the argument is fallacious. Here’s another example: “It’s wrong to tax corporations—think of all the money they give to charity, and of the costs they already pay to run their businesses!”
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Quora
quora.com › What-are-some-examples-of-logical-fallacies-in-everyday-life-What-is-the-purpose-of-using-logical-fallacies-How-do-they-influence-peoples-thinking
What are some examples of logical fallacies in everyday life? What is the purpose of using logical fallacies? How do they influence people's thinking? - Quora
Answer (1 of 2): My favorite named fallacy is this one… https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunk_cost You see this all the time in business and even smaller individual actions. It results in incorrect decisions, which feel correct. The most common way I've seen this in business is when employees ar...
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utminers.utep.edu › omwilliamson › engl1311 › fallacies.htm
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Master List of Logical Fallacies · Fallacies are fake or deceptive arguments, "junk cognition," that is, arguments that seem irrefutable but prove nothing. Fallacies often seem superficially sound and they far too often retain immense persuasive power even after being clearly exposed as false.
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Research.com
research.com › home › logical fallacies: examples and pitfalls in research and media for 2026
Logical Fallacies: Examples and Pitfalls in Research and Media for 2026 | Research.com
July 18, 2022 - Its etymology is quite interesting—herring fish turned red when they were salted and cured, and were so smelly that dog owners used them to distract their hunting dogs from the scent of their quarry (Merriam-Webster. (n.d.)). It is an apt analogy for a distraction meant to avoid the topic. You can easily find real life examples of fallacies in media.
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December 12, 2024 - Give an example of each type of fallacy. In the "evidence" column include the link to the example, why you think it is this kind of fallacy, and why it is problematic. 1.Strawman 2.slippery slope 3. Special Pleading 4. The gambler's fallacy 5. ...
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April 10, 2023 - Other logical fallacies include the no true Scotsman fallacy (“New Yorkers fold their pizza, so you must not really be from New York if you eat yours with utensils.”) and the Texas sharpshooter fallacy (cherry-picking data to support a claim ...
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Quora
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Can you give examples of logical fallacies that you have seen in real life arguments or debates? - Quora
Answer (1 of 4): Theist apologetics and debates are a target-rich environment for logical fallacies. Theists love to use Arguments from Ignorance or Personal Incredulity. “I/You don’t know, therefore gods …” “I don’t understand science, therefore gods …” This is sometimes combined with Black & ...
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Kingdom Winds
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Win the Argument: 15 Logical Fallacies and Real-Life Examples - Kingdom Winds
April 2, 2025 - IRL Example: The “Very Fine People” hoax alleged that Donald Trump said a group of white supremacists were very fine people. In reality, the media-circulated clip of his statement was cut short before he clarified an exemption for the group ...
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October 21, 2024 - In this article, we’ll explore six real-life examples of common fallacies used in advertising. You’ll learn how these tactics work, the risks they carry, and why ethical advertising should always come first. Fallacies in advertising are misleading or deceptive techniques used to manipulate consumers’ perceptions and beliefs about a product, service, or brand. These fallacies exploit cognitive biases and logical ...
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Scribbr
scribbr.com › home › logical fallacies | definition, types, list & examples
Logical Fallacies | Definition, Types, List & Examples
October 9, 2023 - The red herring fallacy is the deliberate attempt to mislead and distract an audience by bringing up an unrelated issue to falsely oppose the issue at hand. Essentially, it is an attempt to change the subject and divert attention elsewhere.
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Doctor Spin
doctorspin.org › home › online creative › storytelling & writing › twin peaks season 3 finale explained (spoiler alert)
58 logical fallacies and cognitive biases
It’s generally difficult for us to distinguish between perceived authority and real authority. Many internet companies are using testimonials by people with fancy titles that their audience have never heard about — and it works. This is closely related to the fallacious appeal to authority.
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BBC
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Logical fallacies: Seven ways to spot a bad argument
July 10, 2024 - In politics, one of the most infamous examples has been when Russia is accused of human rights violations, and its leaders respond "Well, what about the West?". While a whataboutism can serve to illustrate hypocrisy, it deflects from the original argument. Two wrongs don't make a right, but a whataboutism can make it seem like they do. Understanding and spotting logical fallacies like this these can be a really useful way to think critically about what you read or watch, and steer (and keep) conversations back on track.
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Thou shalt not commit logical fallacies
Logical fallacies are like tricks or illusions of thought, and they're often very sneakily used by politicians and the media to fool people. Don't be fooled! This website has been designed to help you identify and call out dodgy logic wherever it may raise its ugly, incoherent head. Rollover the icons above and click for examples.
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en.wikipedia.org › wiki › List_of_fallacies
List of fallacies - Wikipedia
2 weeks ago - Vacuous truth – a claim that is technically true but meaningless, in the form no A in B has C, when there is no A in B. For example, claiming that no mobile phones in the room are on when there are no mobile phones in the room. Cognitive distortion – Exaggerated or irrational thought pattern ... Map–territory relation – Relationship between an object and a representation of that object (confusing map with territory, menu with meal) Mathematical fallacy – Certain type of mistaken proof · Sophistical Refutations – Text by Aristotle on logical fallacies, in which Aristotle presented thirteen fallacies
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Purdue OWL
owl.purdue.edu › owl › general_writing › academic_writing › logic_in_argumentative_writing › fallacies.html
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In this example, the author attributes the worst possible motive to an opponent's position. In reality, however, the opposition probably has more complex and sympathetic arguments to support their point.
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April 19, 2022 - Remember, there has to be a logical reason that the next step must follow the first. In the above case, there is nothing that forces legislators to enfranchize dogs just because they enfranchize women; making it a fallacious argument.