Logical Fallacy of the Day!

Argument from fallacy

Argument from fallacy is the formal fallacy of analyzing anargument and inferring that, since it contains a fallacy, its conclusion must be false.^[1] It is also called argument to logic (argumentum ad logicam), fallacy fallacy,^[2] fallacist's fallacy,^[3] and bad reasons fallacy.^[4]

Fallacious arguments can arrive at true conclusions, so this is an informal fallacy of relevance.^[5]

Example

Tom: All cats are animals. Ginger is an animal. Therefore, Ginger is a cat.

Bill: You have just fallaciously affirmed the consequent. You are incorrect. Therefore, Ginger is not a cat.

Tom: I speak English. Therefore, I am English.

Bill: Americans and Canadians, among others, speak English too. By assuming that speaking English and being English always go together, you have just committed the package-deal fallacy. You are incorrect. Therefore, you are not English.

Both of Bill's rebuttals are arguments from fallacy. Ginger may or may not be a cat, and Tom may or may not be English. The fact that Tom's argument was fallacious is not, in itself, sufficient proof that his conclusion is false.

Counterargument

Joe: Bill's assumption that Ginger is not a cat uses the argument from fallacy. Therefore, Ginger absolutely must be a cat.

That one can invoke the argument from fallacy against a position does not prove one's own position either, as this would be an argument from fallacy itself, as is the case in Joe's argument.

Appeal to probability – is a statement that takes something for granted because it would probably be the case (or might be the case).^[2][3]