Fallacy

Argumentum ad Hominem. Copi has the following explanation for this fallacy:

“The phrase ad hominem translates into against the man. It names a fallacious attack, in which the trust is directed not at the conclusion (argument) one wishes to deny, but at the person who asserts or depends it.”

Examples:

“Your claim cannot be true because you are a notorious criminal.” Said the defense lawyer.

Prof. Smith says to Prof. White, "You are much too hard on your students," and Prof. White replies, "But certainly you are not the one to say so. Just last week I heard several of your students complaining."

Francis Bacon's philosophy should be dismissed since Bacon was removed from his chancellorship for dishonesty.

Fallacy of accident. Agapay defines this fallacy as a fallacy which: “confuses the essential attribute with what is merely an accidental attribute to the nature of a thing.” In metaphysics, substance and accident are two different entities. Between these two, substance is the most essential and important. Thus, care should be observed in order to avoid commingling or confusing the value of substance to that of the accident. Commingle of their values occurs when general rules are applied to particular cases when particular cases have circumstances which may not allow the general rules to be applicable. This fallacy produces a sweeping generalization.

Examples:
Passing result of the midterm examinations in logic suggests the high level of intelligence of a student. Daniel passed the examinations. Therefore, Daniel has a high level of intelligence.

Birds normally can fly.
Tweety the Penguin is a bird.
Therefore, Tweety can fly.

"Thou shalt not kill; therefore, you should not try to control termites in your home or fight for your country."

Converse Accident. This is the opposite of the fallacy of accident. In this fallacy, particular circumstances are applied to general rules. The logical principle it violates is that "what is true to one cannot be taken to be true to all."

Examples:
Mon Jaworski is a member of Ginebra team. Mon Jaworski is a good player. All members of Ginebra team are good players.

"Wow! Did you see that teenager run that red light? Teenage drivers are really pathetic."

"As I drove to school this morning, not one car which was turning had its turn signal on. Thus, I conclude that drivers in South Carolina are not trained to drive very well."


False Cause. Fallacy of false cause is committed one considers as cause facts which merely preceded or accompanied the effect.

Examples:
Tonette stumbled over a punso. The following morning Tonette got mad. Therefore, the cause of Tonette's madness was the stumbling over the punso.

During the past two months, every time the cheerleaders have worn blue ribbons, the basketball team has won. So if we want to keep winning, they had better continue to wear the blue ribbons.

Children become able to solve complex problems, predict the behavior of others, and think of objects objectively at the same time that they learn language. Therefore, learning a language is what causes these abilities.
Begging the question. The fallacy is committed when the conclusion is proved to be true because it is true. It does not use any other argument/evidence which establishes the validity of the conclusion.

Examples:
Totle is beautiful because she exudes beauty.

"If such actions were not illegal, then they would not be prohibited by the law."

"The belief in God is universal. After all, everyone believes in God."

Philosophy 103: Introduction to Logic
Argumentum Ad Hominem
http://philosophy.lander.edu/logic/person.html

S. Morris Engel, With Good Reason: An Introduction to Informal Fallacies (5th Edition), (St. Martin's, 1994).

http://mind.ucsd.edu/syllabi/98-99/logic/cause.html

http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/begging-the-question.html