Argument from anecdote

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An argument from anecdote is an informal logical fallacy, when an anecdote is used to draw an improper logical conclusion. The fallacy can take many forms, such as cherry picking, hasty generalization, proof by assertion, and so on.^[1]

The fallacy does not mean that every single instance of sense data or testimony must be considered a fallacy, only that anecdotal evidence, when improperly used in logic, results in a fallacy. Since anecdotal evidence can result in different kinds of logical fallacies, it is important to understand when this fallacy is being used and how it is being used.

The most common form of the fallacy is the use of anecdotes to create a fallacy of Hasty Generalization. Language surrounding the fallacy must indicate a logical conclusion, and includes absolute statements such as "every", "all", and so forth.

However, other forms of the fallacy exist. For instance, a person citing a myth or made-up story as evidence is engaging in proof by assertion. This is because, if the anecdote is fictional, it is not logically part of the argument. All that is left is the assertion that the argument is true, and it is thus the proof by assertion fallacy.

The Cherry-Picking fallacy can occur within the Anecdotal fallacy if an example is used but it is not representative of the average occurrence of such a thing.

Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc is another fallacy that is often paired with anecdotes.