Ignoratio Elenchi: ignorance of what is required to refute or establish a conclusion.
Kinds of Fallacies (Ignoratio Elenchi):
1) Argumentum Ad Hominem (Argument against the man): one which ignores the real claims or issues in the argument so that what is emphasized is the character, personality, or belief of the opponent.
Example: Your honor, it is impossible for us not to believe that the accused of this murder case in not guilty, because the father and grandfather of the accused had been convicted of murder several years ago. And besides, the accused is of bad moral reputation.
2) Argumentum Ad Ignorantiam (Appeal to Ignorance): arises when an argument is taken as true wherein it has not yet proven to be false, or an argument is false because this has not been proven as true.
Example: The existence of heaven must be true since nobody has ever successfully defended that it is just a product of imagination.
3) Argumentum Ad Verecundiam (Appeal to Authority): arise when one who has the difficulty in confronting or understanding complicated questions will seek refuge to the ideas, concepts, principles, or judgments of a person who enjoys a reputation as an expert or an authority of the matter at issue.
Example: Anybody who does not go to church will not be saved according to St. Augustine.
4) Argumentum Ad Populum (Appeal to People): arises when one who, instead of concentrating on the relevant facts of the argument, gives more emphasis to the emotions and opinions of the people as basis of his conclusion.
Example: Budweisser is better than any other beer in the world because 90% of the Americans drink it.
5) Argumentum Ad Misericordiam (Appeal to Pity): arises when an appeal to evidence is replaced by an appeal to pity, mercy, or sympathy.
Example: Marco should not be given a failing mark in symbolic logic since he has taken the subject 3 times.
6) Argumentum Ad Baculum (Appeal to Force): arises when one appeals to intimidation, or use force in order to gain acceptance of his propositions or arguments.
Example: Parent to his son/daughter: You should study nursing; otherwise, I will not send you to College.
7) Accident : in this fallacy, general rules are applied to particular cases wherein such rule are applicable.
Example: The mark one gets in symbolic logic measures the kind of intelligence one has. Chiara failed in symbolic logic. Ergo, Chiara has low intelligence.
8) Converse Accident : just he opposite of the fallacy of accident
Example: Takyo is rich. But Takyo is from the America. So, all Americans are rich.
9) Tu Quoque : arises when one answers a charge of wrongdoing by a similar charge to his oppoent.
Example: If (the) father smokes, therefore, there is nothing wrong if (the) son smokes too.
10) False Cause: arises when one assigns as the cause those facts that merely preceded or accompanied the effect
Example: Satanas cuts the acacia tree near the Silliman AS building. The following day, he died. Therefore, the cutting of the acacia tree is the cause of Satanas’ death.
11) Non Sequitor: arises when an argument, the conclusion categorically lacks connection with the proposition.
Example: Jelo is a Sillimanian, therefore, he is a good debater.