Fallacies

Spot bad arguments. Fallacies is a pocket reference to the most common logical fallacies, the reasoning errors that turn up in debates, advertising, politics and everyday arguments, with quizzes that grade how well you can recognize them.

For iPhone, iPad and Mac · Free, no ads, no in-app purchases · iOS and iPadOS 17 or later, macOS 14 Sonoma or later

What’s inside

• 42 logical fallacies, from Ad Hominem to the Straw Man, each with a clear description and worked examples.
• Every name it goes by. Also-known-as names, so you can find a fallacy by whatever you’ve heard it called. Search covers every entry.
• Three quizzes of real-world scenarios. Pick the fallacy, then read why each answer is right or wrong.
• Hints when you’re stuck, for half a point, and a letter grade at the end, with a review of every question.
• Start with the basics. An introduction to arguments, premises and what makes reasoning fallacious.
• Easy to read. Adjustable text size, and it works in light and dark mode.
• Private. No account, no internet, no data collected.

The fallacies

Ad Hominem · Ad Hominem Tu Quoque · Appeal to Authority · Appeal to Belief · Appeal to Common Practice · Appeal to Emotion · Appeal to Fear · Appeal to Flattery · Appeal to Novelty · Appeal to Pity · Appeal to Popularity · Appeal to Ridicule · Appeal to Spite · Appeal to Tradition · Appeal to the Consequences of a Belief · Begging the Question · Biased Sample · Burden of Proof · Circumstantial Ad Hominem · Composition · Confusing Cause and Effect · Division · False Dilemma · Gambler’s Fallacy · Genetic Fallacy · Guilt by Association · Hasty Generalization · Ignoring a Common Cause · Middle Ground · Misleading Vividness · Personal Attack · Poisoning the Well · Post Hoc · Questionable Cause · Red Herring · Relativist Fallacy · Slippery Slope · Special Pleading · Spotlight · Straw Man · The Bandwagon · Two Wrongs Make a Right

About the text

The fallacy descriptions, examples and quizzes are by Dr. Michael C. LaBossiere. Fallacies is the all-new version of MacinMind’s classic Fallacy Tutorial, rebuilt for today’s iPhone, iPad and Mac.

Support

Questions, corrections or a fallacy we got wrong? Email jay@macinmind.com, or see the Support page.

Text © 1994–96 Dr. Michael C. LaBossiere, edited by Jay Lichtenauer.
App © 2026 MacinMind Software, Inc.