Hasty Generalization | Drawing Conclusions | Evidentia

Hasty Generalization

F082 • Informal - Induction/Generalization

Also known as: Converse Accident, Faulty Generalization, Insufficient Sample

Difficulty 3/10Medium LoadExtremely Common

Definition

Drawing a general conclusion from insufficient, unrepresentative, or biased sample.

Why Invalid

A few instances or an unrepresentative sample cannot reliably establish a general pattern.

Examples

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Scope of Applicability

Identify the sample size
Assess representativeness of sample
Check for selection bias
Compare to known population statistics if available
Determine if confounding variables present

Common Mistakes

Unclear threshold for 'hasty' vs 'reasonable'
Not accounting for prior probability
Confusing with legitimate probabilistic reasoning
Personal experience feels more compelling than statistics

Anecdotal EvidenceReverse CausationReification

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F086 Anecdotal Evidence

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