Logical Errors

Logical Dodges

False Analogy

The ploy of the false analogy also appears frequently in persuasive conversation. The speaker offers a dramatic illustration of his or her point by means of an analogy, which unfortunately does not resemble the situation under scrutiny. One old chauvinist commented, "A good wife is like a good rug. You have to beat them both occasionally to keep them good." Using analogies effectively requires that they resemble the situation of interest in important ways and that differences be confined to unimportant areas.

Parent Topics:

Map of Logical Errors