Here are some fallacies to look for in arguments. Again, they don’t necessarily mean that the argument is right or wrong, it just means that they’re not being argued with reason. Do any sound familiar?

• Of course he’s good at math. He’s Chinese. They’re all smart. (Generalization...watch out for absolutes!)
• That team will never make it to the finals. They’ve never won more than three games in a row. (Does the past dictate what can happen in the future? Or is it just a good clue?)
• Ash trees are not like other trees, where both genders of seed are found. Each tree is either male or female. Mr. Cohen said so. (Question the source! And the context!)
• Three out of four dentists recommend CrestX for their patients, so you should. (Relying on the expert or authority opinion. Also, watch out for statistics!)
• The Liberals are a bunch of jerks! Look at the money scandals over the last five years! I wouldn’t trust them to run my lawnmower, let alone the country! (An attack against the subject, or the speaker, is the sign of a desperate debater.)
• Why bother saving the rainforest when we’re destroying the ozone layer anyway? (This one’s tricky. Let’s discuss.)