Here is a short story I wrote to illustrate the 5 Common Thinking Errors.

In order to unerstand this story, you must understand what a meathead is. A meathead is someone who is not very bright, and only likes to eat alot, play football, and lift weights.
This is the story about two young men who are arguing with each other. The both of them illustrate the Five Common Thinking Errors. A young man named Kevin goes to school at Saint Louis University High School. His friend Aj also goes to Saint Louis University High School. AJ plays for the Varsity Football Team. Kevin is not a big fan of football. Kevin argues with Aj about why he does not like football.


Kevin: Why do you play football?
AJ:Because I like It. Why do you not like it?
Kevin: Its stupid. Your a meathead.
AJ: What?
Kevin: You play football, all football players are meatheads, therefore you are a meathead. All you want to do is play football and lift weights.2
AJ: That is not true. At least I get good grades. You are a stupid slacker who gets C's and I get A's and B's.3
Kevin: All I know is that You make me angry. I do not like football. It is stupid.1
AJ: Well you know what, how about you go play some other sport like soccer?5
Kevin: I do not know why I am arguing with you. I have decided that football is stupid because it is a dumb sport. I am out of here.4




1. Non Seguiturs - Unreasonable cconclusion that comes from 2 premises.
Premise: You make me angry.
Premise: I do not like football.
Conclusion: Football is stupid.

2. False and Vague Premises - Kevin's vague Premise leads him to an incorrect conclusion.
Premise: You play football.
Premise: Football players are meatheads.
Conclusion: You are a meathead.

3. Ad Hominem - attacking the person you are arguing instead of their argument.
AJ tells Kevin that he is stupid and that he is not a meathead because he gets good grades.

4. Begging the Question - Trying to demonstrate that a point is true, but in the process already assumes that it is true.
Kevin is deciding the football is stupid, but this is from assuming that football is a stupid sport.

5. Red Herring - Saying something that has nothing to do witht he issue at hand.
AJ tells Kevin to go play soccer. This is no way defends his arguement that football is not stupid.