What is suggested when a statement uses selected instances to draw a broad conclusion?

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When a statement uses selected instances to draw a broad conclusion, it exemplifies a hasty generalization. This logical fallacy occurs when a conclusion is made based on insufficient or non-representative evidence. For instance, if someone encounters a few individuals from a particular group and then concludes that all individuals from that group share the same characteristics, they are making a hasty generalization. This type of reasoning is problematic because it overlooks the diversity and complexity within the larger group, leading to potentially inaccurate and misleading conclusions.

In contrast, overgeneralization often refers to statements that are overly broad and apply universally, but may not always specifically derive from limited instances. The composition fallacy involves assuming that what is true for a part is also true for the whole, which is different from hasty generalization. The false cause fallacy incorrectly attributes a cause-and-effect relationship between unrelated events or instances, which does not align with the reasoning based on limited instances leading to overly broad conclusions. Thus, the identification of a hasty generalization perfectly captures the essence of drawing conclusions from a limited set of examples.

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