Topic: Rhetoric fallacies
Tactical moves that derail, deflect, or shut down a discussion by redirecting attention away from the substance of the argument.
| Fallacy | Trigger – look for… |
|---|---|
| Whataboutism | A specific criticism is deflected by pointing to other groups' similar or worse actions, with the effect of blocking any resolution of the original issue. |
| Strawman argument | The opponent's argument or position is replaced with a distorted, oversimplified, or fabricated version, and that weaker version is refuted as if it were the original claim. |
| Appeal to Emotion | A position is supported primarily or exclusively by an appeal to the audience's emotions (pity, fear, outrage, guilt, hope, pride, flattery) rather than by factual arguments. |
| Argument by Emotion | The speaker's own emotional state (hurt, sadness, anger) is used as pressure – often inducing guilt – to make the counterpart concede or drop a point, rather than as an argument. Specialised form of “appeal to emotion”. |
| Argumentum ad baculum | A position of power is used to make the counterpart concede: an explicit or implicit threat of negative consequences (harm, punishment, loss of benefits, social damage) is used instead of reasons. |
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