Logic – For the love of it

Association Fallacy

classification : inductive – fallacy of distraction

Which asserts that qualities of one thing are inherently qualities of another, merely by an irrelevant association.

Foundations

The two types are sometimes referred to as guilt by association and honor by association. Association fallacies are a special case of red herring, and can be based on an appeal to emotion. It can be committed in either a positive or negative (derogatory) fashion. In both cases, it is equally fallacious.

Examples

Hitler was a vegetarian. Hitler was pure evil. Therefore, vegetarians have evil ideals.

Other Names

Ad hominem

Reductio ad Hitlerum

Red Herring

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