FALLACY

JUDGE: Totoo bang hinawakan mo ang

hita ng babaing ito?
NGONGO: Hini po, hini po your honor!
JUDGE: Pilosopo! Hinawakan o hinipo,
pareho lang yun! Guilty!

FALLACY . . .
It

comes from the Latin term

fallere which means to deceive.
It is an erroneous reasoning.
It is a type of argument that may seem to be
valid but which proves, upon examination,
not be so.

INFORMAL FALLACY
1. FALLACY OF LANGUAGE/AMBIGUITY
- It expresses lack of preciseness in the words, phrases
used to express thought.
2. FALLACY OF RELEVANCE
- It arises when something about an argument tempts us
simply to overlook the fact that there really is no
connection between the premises conclusion.

1. FALLACY OF LANGUAGE
OR AMBIGUITY

1.1 EQUIVOCATION
Lapu-lapu

is the killer of Magellan.

Lapu-lapu is a fish.
Therefore, a fish is the killer of Magellan.

EMPLOYER

TO A JOB APPLICANT: In this

job, we need someone who is responsible.
APPLICANT: Then Im the one you are
looking for. In my last job, every time
anything went wrong, they said I was
responsible.

Erap, Cory, and FVR were captured by the Abu

Sayyaf. They were brought to an island and were
informed that they were going to be executed one by
one. Cory was the first in line, and she thought of a
way to distract the rebels. When she was already at
the center and was bout to be shot dead, she
shouted, EARTHQUAKE! The rebels panicked.
Cory took this chance to escape. The rebels, seeing
that Cory had fled, decided that FVR be executed
next. FVR did the same thing, and shouted, TIDAL
WAVE! The rebels scampered, and FVR took the
opportunity to flee. Realizing that he was the only
hostage left, Erap thought of doing the same, and
shouted, FIRE! After three seconds, he dropped
dead.

1.2 AMPHIBOLY
I

would like to buy a clock for my boyfriend

with three hands.

FOR

RENT: Furnished room just right for a

single lady with comfort room
and free water.

1.3 ACCENT OR PROSODY

You
I

(Ikaw).

resent the letter.

Free

children below seven.

1.4 DIVISION
The

whole wedding package costs P500,000.

Hence, the wedding cake costs P500,000.

Human

cells must be conscious beings

because human beings are conscious.

1.5 COMPOSITION
Mr.

Manny Pangilinan is a millionaire.

Mr. Pangilinan is a Filipino.
Therefore, all Filipinos are millionaires.

Our

present Pope is a German;

Thus, all Popes are Germans.

1.6 WORD CONSTRUCTION

People

from Burma are called Burmese;

People from China are called Chinese;
Therefore, people from Egypt are called
Egyptese.

Responsible

Adorable
Incredible
Loveable
Perdible

1. . . . the universe is spherical in form. . . because all

the constituent parts of the universe, that is the
sun, moon, and the planets, appear in this form.
(Nicolaus Copernicus)
2. One Indian, two Indians;
One bag, two bags;
One child, two childs.
3. The book of Dan Brown is expensive;
Thus, every page of that book is very expensive
4. No husbands please.
5. JUDGE: Did you say no?
ACCUSED: Yes

2. FALLACY OF RELEVANCE

2.1 PETITIO PRINCIPII

(CIRCULAR ARGUMENT)

Why

are you late? Well, because I am not

early.
Ice

is cold; thus, it is not hot.

Whoever

wins tomorrow will be declared

winner (Alma Moreno).

2.2 ACCIDENT
One

has to tell the truth always. Thus, if a

murderer confesses his crime to the priest, it
is but proper for the priest to reveal the truth
to the police authorities.
We have to be generous to others. Thus,
during examination we have to share our
answers with our seatmate to show that we
are generous.

2.3 FALSE CAUSE

Anabelle

Dionisia got a perfect score in the

Logic Final Exam because she took a bath
during her menstrual period and jump five
times.

Diego

scratches his nose and tummy. After

one minute, the volcano erupts. Hence, the
scratching of Diegos nose and tummy
causes the eruption.

2.4 COMPLEX QUESTION

Have
Did

you stopped beating your wife?

you intentionally harass her?

2.5 FALSE DILEMMA

If

you love me, then youll make love with me.

If

youre not with America, youre with the

terrorists.

Kuwarto

o kuwatro?

2.6 SLIPPERY SLOPE

Whenever a tree falls down, it has 95% chance of

knocking over another tree. Therefore, soon, a great
many trees would fall.

2.7 NON-SEQUITUR
(IRRELEVANT CONCLUSION)

The

Philippines is suffering economically

now. Thus, Batista is odorous.

Life

is a mix of positive and negative

experiences. Thus, Janeth Napoles is
sick.

2.8 STRAW-MAN FALLACY

People

who are in favor of abortion think it's

okay to commit cold blooded murder.
Bill and Jill are arguing about cleaning out their
closets:
Jill: "We should clean out the closets. They are
getting a bit messy."
Bill: "Why, we just went through those closets
last year. Do we have to clean them out
everyday?"
Jill: "I never said anything about cleaning them
out every day. You just want too keep all your
junk forever, which is just ridiculous."

2.9 ARGUMENTUM AD
IGNORANTIAM
If

you cant prove me wrong, then I must

be right.

If

you cant prove that the world is not

flat, then the world is flat.

2.10 ARGUMENTUM AD
HOMINEM
We

cant trust this persons argument!

He is an alcoholic!

Dont

believe in him! Hes gay and

odorous!

2.11 ARGUMENTUM AD
POPULUM
Many

people believed that the earth is

flat. Thus, the earth is flat.

Pres. GMA cheated in the 2004 elections

according to the latest survey. Since this
is what the majority of the Filipino think,
then she must have really cheated.

2.12 ARGUMENTUM AD
VERECUNDIAM
These

pills must be safe and effective.

They have been endorsed by Justin
Bieber, a famous American singer.

Sleeping

with you hair wet can make you

blind. That is what Son Gohan said!

2.12 ARGUMENTUM AD
MISERICORDIAM
A

student should be given a passing

grade because he is soon to graduate, or
because if he fails the subject, his
parents would kill him.
You honor, my client, John Santos, does
not deserve to be imprisoned. He has
five small children, and a wife suffering
from breast cancer.

2. 14 ARGUMENTUM AD
BACULUM
Dear Sir Reyes,
Good day! If you will fail me in Logic,
I will ask my MNLF friends to bomb
your house!!!!!!!!!
Yours truly,
Naruto

1.

2.

People who think abortion should be banned have

no respect for the rights of women. They treat them
as nothing but baby-making machines. That's
wrong. Women must have the right to choose.
I bought the latest bike from Motorstar. After all, it
is the brand of motorcycle Pacman is promoting.

3.

1.
2.

3.

4.
5.

Have you stopped taking drugs?

Renato was caught by the police with a bloody
knife and shirt, and was immediately put into jail.
But nobody filed a case against him. Thus, Renato
is innocent and should be released.
Fred is an honest man. I know this is true since
Fred told me so himself, and an honest man like
Fred surely wouldnt lie about something like that.
Kung hindi tayo kakampi kay GMA e malinaw Abu
Sayyaf lovers tayo.
The Inquisition must have been justified and
beneficial, if whole peoples invoked and defended
it, if we of the loftiest souls founded and created it
severally and impartially, and its very adversaries
applied it on their account, pyre answering to
pyre.

6. You know, Professor Barako Bayagbag, I

really need to get a 95% in this Logic class. Id
like to stop by during your office hours later to
discuss my grade. Ill be in your building
anyways, visiting my father. Hes your dean, by
the way. Ill see you later.
7. Francis Bacons philosophy should be
dismissed since Bacon was removed from his
chancellorship for dishonesty.
8. My spouse must be cheating on me; he told me
I dont really love you now.
9. Atoms are colorless. Cats are made of atoms,
so cats are colorless.
10.

10.