fallácias

A fallácia, or fallacy, is a defect in an argument that renders the argument invalid or unsound. Fallacies can be formal, meaning they involve errors in the logical structure of the argument, or informal, meaning they rely on content or context that makes the argument misleading. Informal fallacies are more common and diverse, often exploiting psychological biases or rhetorical devices rather than logical errors.

One common type of informal fallacy is the ad hominem, which attacks the person making the argument rather than the argument itself. Another is the straw man fallacy, which misrepresents an opponent's argument to make it easier to attack. The appeal to authority, or argumentum ad verecundiam, is a fallacy when the authority cited is not an expert in the relevant field or when their opinion is presented as infallible.

Other prevalent fallacies include the slippery slope, which asserts that a particular action will inevitably lead to a series of increasingly negative consequences without sufficient evidence; the false dilemma, which presents only two options when more exist; and the circular reasoning, where the conclusion of an argument is already assumed in its premises. Understanding fallacies is crucial for critical thinking, enabling individuals to identify flawed reasoning in their own arguments and those presented by others, thereby fostering more robust and logical discourse.