Fallacies & BiasesTopic #6 of 10

Common Fallacies (Ambiguity)

Errors involving confusing language like Equivocation and Amphiboly.

Fallacies of ambiguity occur because of a shift in the meaning of words or phrases during the argument.

Equivocation

Using a key word in an ambiguous way, with one meaning in one portion of the argument and then another meaning in another portion.

Example: "Noisy children are a headache. Aspirin makes headaches go away. Therefore, aspirin makes noisy children go away."

Amphiboly

An ambiguity that results from grammatical construction, often a dangling modifier.

Example: "Save soap and waste paper."

Composition

Reasoning that what is true of the parts must be true of the whole.

Example: "Each player on the team is famous. Therefore, the team is famous."

Division

Reasoning that what is true of the whole must be true of the parts.

Example: "The ball is round. Therefore, the atoms making up the ball are round."