OPINION –
The futuristic thinkers have been warning that those who don’t adopt artificial intelligence could fall behind. Rather than accepting this slippery slope premise as true, I decided to put the tech to the test.
I asked Grok to pull together a list of logical fallacies that are commonly employed in arguments to convince an opponent.
With cross-checking and some tweaks, I’ve included Grok’s summary alongside my own real-life examples of fallacies employed by the DNC.
1. Ad Hominem
Instead of addressing the argument, an attack is made on the person presenting it.
- Example: “You can’t trust his argument for reducing carbon emissions because he’s just a car salesman.”
- IRL Example: After JD Vance was announced as President Trump’s 2024 running mate and began promoting his traditional family values, the DNC coordinated a media attack labeling him “weird. This effectively distracted from the positive attributes of his conservative, family-oriented position.
2. Straw Man
Misrepresenting someone’s argument to make it easier to attack or refute.
- Example: “Tesla makes electric cars, so they clearly want to eliminate all vehicles that run on fossil fuel.”
- 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 of white supremacists, who he said “should be condemned totally.”
3. False Dichotomy
Presenting two options as the only two possibilities, when in fact there might be other alternatives.
- Example: “You’re either with us, or you’re against us.”
- IRL Example: The DNC has long framed the entire Republican Party as “Nazis,” generalizing every person who supports Trump as racist, sexist, xenophobic bigots. This black-and-white thinking strips half the populace of their humanity and allows for zero depth or gray area in perspective.
4. Appeal to Authority
Stating that something should be accepted as true simply because an authority figure claims it to be true, without evidence.
- Example: “Dr. Smith says that chemotherapy cures cancer, so it must be true.”
- IRL Example: World leaders have told us for decades that global warming would soon wipe us out, yet their doomer predictions always fall flat. Still, people believe that climate change is a huge problem simply because we are told this by supposed experts like Bill Gates. Meanwhile, legitimate experts with contradictory evidence are silenced.
5. Ad Populum
Appealing to popularity, or arguing that something is true or good because it’s popular or believed by many people. This is also referred to as the bandwagon fallacy.
- Example: “All the influencers are vaping, so it must be okay.”
- IRL Example: The mainstream media created a fictional cultural atmosphere in America that made it seem like everyone was on the Kamala Harris train, therefore making her the right candidate for President. This set Democrats up for a surprising defeat in November.
6. Appeal to Emotion
Manipulating emotions to win an argument rather than using logical reasoning.
- Example: “If you don’t support this charity, you’re heartless because children will suffer.”
- IRL Example: The DNC convinced their voter base that Trump voters hate women and want to take away their rights by appealing to a mass fear of a fictional abortion ban.
7. Circular Reasoning
Using the conclusion of an argument as one of its premises; essentially, the argument is circular.
- Example: “The Pope is always right because the Catholic church appointed him.”
- IRL Example: The Democrats assert themselves to be trusted as the party of the people because they claim that historical title. Yet it was the Democrats who railed against freeing the slaves in the 1800s and continue to be the big government party that coincides with the notion of slavery.
8. Slippery Slope
Suggesting that some event must inevitably follow from another without providing evidence for the inevitability.
- Example: “If we allow same-sex marriage, next thing you know, people will want to marry their pets.”
- IRL Example: “If Trump wins the election, LGBTQ+ people will lose their right to marry.”
9. Hasty Generalization
Drawing a conclusion from a small sample or insufficient evidence.
- Example: “My cousin got sick after eating at that restaurant, so all their food must be bad.”
- IRL Example: Covid-19 vaccine makers were able to skirt research that would later prove the vaccines cause extensive heart, joint, and brain damage, and even rapidly developing cancers. Thanks to manipulated studies and sliced data, we were told the vaccines are “safe and effective.”
10. Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc
Assuming that because one thing follows another, it must have been caused by it.
- Example: “I wore my lucky socks, and we won the game, so my socks must have brought luck.”
- IRL Example: Despite confirmations that “Bidenomics is working,” the DNC has recently passed the burden of the poor economy onto their predecessor in office: “Trump was President from 2017 to 2021, therefore the 2024 recession is Trump’s fault.”
11. Non Sequitur
Incorrectly assuming a cause-effect relationship where none exists.
- Example: “Since I started going to the gym, my skin has cleared up. Therefore, exercising must cure acne.”
- IRL Example: When Kamala Harris on the campaign trail was asked to address the economy, she’d argue that Americans could trust her economic policies because she comes from a middle-class family.
12. Red Herring
Introducing a seemingly relevant issue to divert attention from the original argument.
- Example: “Why should we care about animal rights when there are people starving in the world?”
- IRL Example: This was basically the DNC’s entire 2024 campaign premise. Although the economy, illegal immigration, and bureaucracy are huge issues that impact all Americans, the DNC decided to fear-monger for votes by pretending that Trump is involved in Project 2025, a hyper-conservative initiative which he called “abysmal.”
13. Ad Ignorantiam
Appealing to ignorance, or arguing that a proposition is true because it has not been proven false, or vice versa.
- Example: “No one has proven that ghosts don’t exist, so they must exist.”
- IRL Example: The DNC alleged that a nationwide abortion ban would be coming under the upcoming Trump presidency without any real evidence that this would happen. In fact, since Roe vs. Wade was overturned, a national abortion ban CANNOT happen and Trump has made this comment himself, but the public’s ignorance keeps them in the dark.
14. Genetic Fallacy
Judging something as good or bad on the basis of its origin, rather than on its own merits.
- Example: “You can’t trust this science that says nicotine is good for you; it was proposed by someone who worked for a tobacco company.”
- IRL Example: According to one of the DNC’s main illogical premises, white people have historically been “racist colonizers,” therefore they will always be a threat to minority groups.
15. Equivocation
Using a word or phrase with different meanings at different points in an argument leading to a misleading or false conclusion.
- Example: The government claims they have reduced taxes by reducing the rate of tax increase.
- IRL Example: The DNC attempted to get away with Biden calling Trump supporters “garbage” by suggesting that “supporters” was said in possessive form and only referred to a single supporter.
Equipped to think
The term “info wars” exists for a reason—persuasive misinformation has the power to shape public opinion and policy without people having any idea that they are being propagandized.
By understanding and recognizing logical fallacies, we can sharpen our critical thinking skills and better navigate the abundance of information presented by our government, media complex, and peers.
The simple act of questioning the logic behind arguments might be all it takes to foster a more informed and less manipulable society.
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