The concept of fallacy plays a crucial role in the areas of critical thinking and logical reasoning. A fallacy is a deceptive or misleading argument that appears to be logical and valid but is, in fact, flawed.

Fallacies are common pitfalls in understanding that may cause confusion.

Fallacies rely on faulty assumptions, incorrect reasoning, or deliberate manipulation of information to persuade others to accept an unsupported conclusion.

For example, the straw man fallacy involves misrepresenting or exaggerating an opponent’s position to make it easier to attack, while the appeal to emotion fallacy relies on manipulating emotions rather than presenting valid reasons.

However, some of the most pervasive fallacies are the result of long standing traditions that are more habitual than useful.