Speak like an insider! Welcome to Snopes-tionary, where we'll define a term or piece of fact-checking lingo that we use on the Snopes team. Have a term you want us to explain? Let us know. Also known ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...