Fallacies and AssumptionsPeople around the world face logical fallacies almost daily. This article will examine three common logical fallacies. I will define each of the three fallacies, explain its importance to critical thinking, and discuss its general application to decision making. I will also show organizational examples that illustrate each of the mistakes I have chosen. Errors and Assumptions The Encyclopaedia Britannica (2006) defines an error in logic as “erroneous reasoning that has the appearance of soundness.” In general, when we think about making decisions, most people think they are making logical decisions. Logical decisions are based on facts, rational thinking and common sense reasoning. A critical thinker should be able to determine a rational decision based on facts rather than emotions or “flawed reasoning.” Bassham, Irwin, Nardone, and Wallace (2002) argue that fallacies, which are arguments containing errors in reasoning, fall into two groups. . The first group, relevance errors, occurs because the premises are irrelevant to the conclusion. Insufficient evidence fallacies do not provide enough evidence to support the conclusion, even if the premises are logically relevant. The first error I will discuss is the error of appeal to authority. This fallacy occurs when a person claims to be or is presented as an authority on a specific topic and makes a claim about that topic. Since the person appears to be an authority, it is taken for granted that the statement must be true. When a person falls prey to this fallacy, they accept a statement as true without there being sufficient evidence to do so. More specifically, the person accepts the claim because he or she falsely believes that the person making the claim is a legitimate expert and therefore that it is reasonable to accept the claim (Labossière, 1995). Not all appeals to authority are fallacious. In order to determine whether the appeal is admissible or not, certain elements must be taken into account. Is the person a legitimate expert with experience in the claims field? Do other experts generally agree? Is there any significant bias or reason for making this claim? The answers to these and other questions can help delineate the truth. I found a simple example of an appeal to authority in the June 2005 issue of Popular Science Magazine. In this issue, an advertisement for The Sleep Number Bed appeared. The advert featured a photo of a famous actress with her signature alongside a photo of the bed..