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Post hoc fallacies occur when someone focuses on the person rather than their position. True or False

User Fseto
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Final answer:

False. Post hoc fallacies refer to assuming a false cause and effect relationship, not attacking an individual's character, which would be an ad hominem fallacy.

Step-by-step explanation:

False. Post hoc fallacies do not occur when someone focuses on the person rather than their position. Instead, that type of fallacy is known as an ad hominem attack. A post hoc fallacy, short for post hoc ergo propter hoc, is a fallacy of false cause. This occurs when it is assumed that because one event follows another, the first caused the second, which is a mistake in causal reasoning. An example of this would be assuming that wearing a swimsuit causes sunburns simply because sunburn often occurs while wearing one, which neglects the fact that sun exposure is the real cause of sunburn.

Fallacies of diversion rely on attempts to distract the audience away from the argument, typically involving opponents or an audience. Another commonly confused fallacy is the strawman, which occurs when an arguer misrepresents an opponent's position to easily attack it. Both are included in the broader category of informal fallacies, which are errors in reasoning that undermine the logical validity of an argument.

User Meru
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