Cognitive Bias vs Logical Fallacy: What's the Difference?
It's super easy to confuse logical fallacies with cognitive biases because they can sometimes overlap, such as the anecdotal fallacy sounds similar to the anecdotal bias.
What's the Difference?Â
A good way to distinguish each one is:
- A logical fallacy is a flaw in something we say
- A cognitive bias influences how we see things (not really a flaw - more a lens)
To dive deeper, logical fallacies are errors in reasoning. We say something that is flawed, not logical: "We can't trust that guy's opinion because he's a bad person." That's an ad hominem attack. We're attacking the person, not their argument.
Whereas cognitive biases work at a much deeper level, literally. They shape how we see things before we even have time to think anything. For example, with confirmation bias, our brain filters what information we see or take notice of. We don't even realise that it is framing what we pay attention to.
How do they work together?
Cognitive biases are the driver of logical fallacies.
- Confirmation bias drives the anecdotal fallacy - you see what you want to see and then select evidence to support your point of view
- The bandwagon instinct drives the bandwagon effect - we are deeply wired to follow the herd and that wiring is what makes us jump on the bandwagon
- The sunk cost bias drives the sunk cost fallacy - we really don't like losing so we double down
In a nutshell, we don't really know our cognitive biases (unless we become conscious of them) but we can have our logical fallacies pointed out to us because they're something we've said.Â
This is why teaching logical fallacies is better than teaching biases. It is much easier to point to a flaw in something you're friend has said than to point to the biases that shape how they see the world.
If you're friend is making a bad argument, you are dealing with a fallacy. If they don't want to listen to a good argument, no matter what way you present it to them, you are probably dealing with a bias.
Quick note: Cognitive biases are not bad. They help protect us. If we didn't have them, we wouldn't survive in the real-world. That rustle behind the bushes just might be a predator (confirmation bias). There's just too much information for our brains to process all at once, so a bias to being safe rather than sorry can save your life.
Want to learn the most common fallacies? Read our What Are the Most Common Logical Fallacies? article.
Curious how fallacies show up in everyday manipulation? See Why Should I Learn Logical Fallacies? for a deeper look.