There is no statutory requirement that formal logic be adhered to during examination of patent claims. Examiners and patent practitioners are free to use a wide variety of discussion and argument ...

Logical fallacies are flaws in reasoning. They are often called informal fallacies. It's becoming more common for people to call out these fallacies by name. You often hear accusations of people ...

To persuade you, people often try to use logical fallacies (Credit: Javier Hirschfeld) When people are trying to persuade you, they sometimes reach for underhand tricks like the 'appeal to ignorance' ...

Clear and rational thinking is essential for effective decision-making and communication in the work place. However, logical fallacies—errors in reasoning that undermine the logic of an argument—are ...

What is the Ad Hominem Fallacy? The ad hominem fallacy occurs when someone attacks the person making an argument rather than the argument itself. This fallacy diverts attention from the actual issue ...

When we refer to fallacies, we are describing things that are mistakes, and if they are logical fallacies, they are mistakes in reasoning. It is impossible to read the news today or (worse) watch the ...

We’re always pleased when our readers write to us with questions or comments that really make us think. Here, for example, is reader K.S., who writes: Perhaps it was intended facetiously, if so I ...

Logical fallacies are unsubstantiated assertions that are often delivered with a conviction that makes them sound as though they are proven facts. Whatever their origins, fallacies can take on a ...