Fallacies of Defective Induction

Fallacies of defective induction are mistakes in reasoning that happen when we make assumptions or draw conclusions without enough evidence. These mistakes can lead to weak or misleading arguments. Let’s look at some fallacies of defective induction in this lesson.

Hasty generalization

Here’s an example where a politician makes a hasty generalization from a criticism.

In this social media post, the politician hastily generalizes from one criticism of their education reform plan to assume that the entire opposition is against progress and unconcerned about the well-being of children. By attributing the views and intentions of the entire opposition to a single critique, the politician oversimplifies the complex range of opinions and ...