What fallacy occurs when the minor premise denies the antecedent?

The fallacy that occurs when the minor premise denies the antecedent is known as denying the antecedent. This fallacy arises from a conditional statement (if... then...) where the antecedent (the 'if' part) is negated, leading to an invalid conclusion.

In a standard conditional argument structure, if you have a statement like "If P, then Q," denying the antecedent would involve asserting that "P is false," followed by an erroneous conclusion that posits "therefore, Q is false." This reasoning is flawed because just because P is not the case, it does not logically entail anything about Q.

Understanding this fallacy is crucial for constructing valid arguments and participating effectively in debates, as it illustrates a common logical error that alters the intended implications of conditional statements.