Broken Logic

Logic has a structure, much like maths equations. In a logical argument, ideas are called premises, which can be put together to lead to a conclusion. A logical fallacy occurs when the structure looks like logic but is false. For example, if a premise says magnets attract iron and an object is attracted to magnets, it does not necessarily mean that the object is made of iron. This is called a formal fallacy, or a ‘non sequitur’, which means ‘does not follow’. It is important to understand the structure of a logical argument to avoid mistaking a logical fallacy for the real deal.