Logic – For the love of it

Taxonomy – Where am I?

Hasty Generalization

classification : informal – inductive fallacy

The size of the sample is too small to support the conclusion.

Foundations

A faulty generalization by reaching an inductive generalization based on insufficient evidence. It commonly involves basing a broad conclusion upon the statistics of a survey of a small group that fails to sufficiently represent the whole population.

Examples

Fred, the Australian, stole my wallet. Thus, all Australians are thieves.

I have been to San Diego several times, and the sky was always blue and the temperature ideal. The weather must be perfect in San Diego all the time.

Other Names

Fallacy of Insufficient Statistics

Fallacy of Insufficient Sample

Slothful induction

Fallacy of the lonely fact

© 2009, jhslee. All rights reserved.