faulty instance of the argument from analogy From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A false analogy is an informal fallacy. It applies to inductive arguments. The fallacy is commited when the conclusion when the analogy is not strong enough to support the conclusion that is drawn.[1]
Usually this fallacy is commited when one reasons that if two things, situations or cases are alike in some respects, then they would be alike in other respects too, without valid justification.[2] One who makes an weak analogy or comparison is often said to be "comparing apples and oranges".
Basic Structure:
Evaluating an argument having this form requires a two-step procedure: (1) Identify the attributes a, b, c, . . . that the two entities A and B share, and (2) determine how the attribute z, mentioned in the conclusion, relates to the attributes a, b, c, . . . If some causal or systematic relation exists between z and a, b, or c, the argument is a strong inductive argument; otherwise, it is weak.[1]
The following are examples of false analogies:
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