The Meaning of Fallacy:
Simply put, a fallacy can be described as ?a mistake in reasoning'. Fallacies appear to have a logical argument, but on close examination, we see that the argument does not hold up to logical reasoning. Fallacies have found their place in our society and culture through erroneous beliefs, false and exaggerated advertising, and even social acceptance.
Logical fallacies can broadly be classified into two groups: fallacies of relevance and fallacies of insufficient evidence. Fallacies of relevance occur because the premises on which they are based are irrelevant to the conclusion. In contrast, fallacies of insufficient evidence are not based on faulty premises, but are fallacies because they do not have sufficient evidence to support the conclusion.
Taking the example of fallacies of relevance, we cite three examples below:
Example 1: Fallacy of an Appeal to Pity
?Bill Baxter deserves to be promoted to Vice President. He has three small children, and last week his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer.'
This is an example of the fallacy of an appeal to pity. The fallacy of an appeal to pity occurs when the presenter of the argument attempts to evoke feelings of pity or compassion, when such feelings, however understandable, are not relevant to the arguer's conclusion. In the example cited, the promotion of Bill Baxter to Vice President should have nothing to do with his family situation-the fact that he has three small children, and that his wife has been diagnosed with breast cancer. His promotion should only be considered based upon his skills and ability on the job. Therefore if he is promoted on the grounds of pity i.e. his family situation, it would be a glaring error of judgement.
Example from A Real Life S ...