Anecdotes are all around us, and we come across them on a daily basis. It is how people communicate knowledge. But there’s an issue when it supports a scientific assertion. Then it is we can say anecdotal evidence or the argument by anecdote fallacy, which is also a logical error. This is the most flimsy sort of proof someone can give for any claim.

Types Of Anecdotes Fallacy

The argument for the Anecdote fallacy can be in an infinite number of ways. The following are some examples of anecdotal fallacies.

Humorous

A tale that lends levity to the subject at hand. Two buddies, for example, are disputing driving instructions. The driver instructs the passenger to switch off the GPS, claiming that he knows where they are going. “Oh, like the time we switched it off and wound up in the middle of that cow farm?” says the passenger. A flashback shows their automobile surrounded by loudly mooing cows.

Reminiscent

A story that recalls something generic about the past or a specific occurrence using phrases like “it reminds me of…”, “when I used to…”, “I remember when…”, and so on. For example, if a youngster asks her grandmother for a dollar to go purchase candies, the grandmother responds, “you know, back in my day, all you needed was a penny to go to the candy shop!”

Philosophical

An anecdote is told to help people think more deeply about the subject at issue. For example, a group of college students is debating the morality of lying, with the majority claiming that lying is never acceptable. “What about families that lied to German soldiers, you know, about concealing Jews in their houses during World War II?” one student asks. “Does the number of lives saved warrant the falsehoods they told?” The pupils then consider the viability of their previous arguments.

The Ending Note

The argument by anecdote fallacy is a powerful literary device. Because of its variety in style, tone, and utility. It can be employed by practically anybody, in any scenario, and in any genre. 

Anecdotes, like any other narrative shared with others, perform a variety of functions and make events more fascinating for both the protagonists and the audience. An anecdote is a timeless tactic that storytellers practice for ages in literature, cinema, television, and theatre.