A formal
fallacy is where the basic
logical
structure of an
arguement is flawed. For instance, the
statement :
All (p) is (r)
All (q) is (r)
--------------
All (p) is (q)
You can
verbalise this as :
All
penguins are
black and white
All
old tv shows are
black and white
------------------------------------
All penguins are old tv shows
A more common but less obvious example is
inferring the consequence :
If (p) then (q)
But (p)
------------
Therefore (q)
For example:
If
science can’t explain everything then
God must exist
But
science doesn’t explain everything
---------------------------------------------
Therefore
God exists
See also : Informal fallacy, syllogism