Rhetoric Defense Kit
Bad arguments, named — so they stop working on you
Most boardroom 'logic' is a fallacy you haven't named yet. Once you can name them, they lose their power. This is the executive's pocket field guide.
- 01Fallacy · Relevance
Ad Hominem
Attack the person, not the argument.
Attacking the person rather than the argument.
Open the full definition →Try it · 30 secondsLive · Spot ad hominemSpot the ad-hominem.
A junior analyst presents a forecast. Three responses:
- 02Fallacy · Relevance
Appeal to Authority
'Because they said so' is not evidence.
It's true because authority says so.
Open the full definition →Try it · 30 secondsLive · Spot appeal to authoritySpot the appeal to authority.
PM: 'We should ship daily.' Engineer: ' '
- 03Fallacy · Definition
Begging the Question
The conclusion is hidden in the premise.
Assuming the conclusion in the premise.
Open the full definition →Try it · 30 secondsLive example · Feel begging the questionDrag yourself across Begging the Question.
Real scene: Strategy decks that assume the bet, then 'validate' it. The pull below is the same one begging the question exerts on the call. Find the position where you stop being able to defend yourself with logic.
● LiveTrust the dataTrust the gut040100CalibratedIn the room: Decisions made under the illusion of analysis.
- 04Fallacy · Statistical
Cherry-Picking
Select the data that wins, ignore the rest.
Selecting only the data that supports the conclusion.
Open the full definition →Try it · 30 secondsLive · Catch cherry-pickingA growth team reports: 'Conversion up 18% on Tuesdays.' You ask about the other days. Crickets. What's likely?
- 05Fallacy · Relevance
Bandwagon Fallacy
Popular ≠ true. Often the opposite.
It's true because many believe it.
Open the full definition →Try it · 30 secondsLive example · Feel bandwagon fallacyDrag yourself across Bandwagon Fallacy.
Real scene: Every competitor adds AI; we must add it somewhere. The pull below is the same one bandwagon fallacy exerts on the call. Find the position where you stop being able to defend yourself with logic.
● LiveTrust the dataTrust the gut040100CalibratedIn the room: Strategy by consensus, not by analysis.
- 06Mental Models · Reasoning
Argument from Ignorance
'Nobody's proven it false' isn't proof it's true.
Claiming something is true because it has not been proven false.
Open the full definition →Try it · 30 secondsLive example · Apply Argument from IgnoranceUse the model. Pick the move.
Claiming something is true because it has not been proven false. You've just seen this: 'We have never had a security breach, so we are secure.' Which lever does the model recommend?
● LivePick a lever. There are no neutral ones — every incentive funds a behavior somewhere.
Read this once. Then start spotting them in real meetings. You won't be able to stop.
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