 The form of the fallacy of false dichotomy as an argument map with the conclusion at the top of the tree. The formal fallacy of false dilemma—also known as false choice, false dichotomy, falsified dilemma, fallacy of the excluded middle, black and white thinking, false correlative, either/or fallacy, and bifurcation—involves a situation in which two alternative statements are held to be the only possible options, when in reality there exist one or more other options which have not been considered. The fallacy relies on a misuse of the or operator. For misuse of the and operator, see Package-deal fallacy. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...
Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...
An Argument map is a visual representation of the structure of an argument in informal logic. ...
In philosophy, the term logical fallacy properly refers to a formal fallacy : a flaw in the structure of a deductive argument which renders the argument invalid. ...
A dichotomy is a division into two non-overlapping or mutually exclusive and jointly exhaustive parts. ...
In logic, correlative based fallacies, also known as fallacies of distraction, are logical fallacies based on correlative conjunctions. ...
OR logic gate. ...
In logical calculus, logical operators or logical connectors serve to connect statements into more complicated compound statements. ...
AND Logic Gate In logic and mathematics, logical conjunction (usual symbol and) is a two-place logical operation that results in a value of true if both of its operands are true, otherwise a value of false. ...
The logical fallacy of the package deal consists of assuming that things often grouped together by tradition or culture must always be grouped that way. ...
The dilemma need not be limited to two choices; it may involve three possibilities, in which case it is known as a trifurcation.[citation needed] There may be even more choices involved, in which case the fallacy may arise simply by accidental omission—possibly through a form of wishful thinking—rather than by deliberate deception. Wishful thinking is the formation of beliefs and making decisions according to what might be pleasing to imagine instead of by appealing to evidence or rationality. ...
When two alternatives are presented, they are often, though not always, two extreme points on some spectrum of possibilities. This can lend credence to the larger argument by giving the impression that the options are mutually exclusive, even though they need not be. Furthermore, the options are typically presented as being collectively exhaustive, in which case the fallacy can be overcome, or at least weakened, by considering other possibilities, or perhaps by considering the whole spectrum of possibilities, as in fuzzy logic. In logic, two mutually exclusive (or mutual exclusive according to some sources) propositions are propositions that logically cannot both be true. ...
In probability theory, a set of events is collectively exhaustive if at least one of the events must occur. ...
Fuzzy logic is derived from fuzzy set theory dealing with reasoning that is approximate rather than precisely deduced from classical predicate logic. ...
Examples
A simple example of a false dilemma is the following: Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...
Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation or ABC is Australias national non-profit public broadcaster. ...
Michael Duffy is an Australian journalist. ...
Counterpoint is an Australian radio program, presented by Michael Duffy and broadcast by ABCs Radio National. ...
- "You are either with us or against us. You have refuesed to join our cause, therefore you must be working against our cause."
This argument is a false dilemma, because it denies the possibility that someone has no interest in that cause.
Morton's Fork Very often a Morton's Fork, a choice between two equally unpleasant options, is a false dilemma. The phrase originates from an argument for taxing English nobles: Mortons Fork is an expression that describes a choice between two equally unpleasant alternatives (in other words, a dilemma), or two lines of reasoning that lead to the same unpleasant conclusion. ...
- "Either the nobles of this country appear wealthy, in which case they can be taxed for good; or they appear poor, in which case they are living frugally and must have immense savings, which can be taxed for good." [2]
This is a false dilemma, because some members of the nobility may in fact lack liquid assets.
False choice The presentation of a false choice often reflects a deliberate attempt to eliminate the middle ground on an issue. Rhetorically, this often takes the form of a statement such as the statement by U. S. President George W. Bush: George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ...
- "Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists."[3]
Such false choices are common in politics. Another example is the following quote from John Kerry's web page: Terrorist redirects here. ...
The Politics series Politics Portal This box: Politics is the process by which groups of people make decisions. ...
John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is the junior United States Senator from Massachusetts, in his fourth term of office. ...
- By raising funds for their as-yet unnamed Democratic opponents, our Roadblock Republicans campaign increases political pressure on those Republicans who continue to place loyalty to George W. Bush above our national security and the lives of our men and women serving in Iraq. [4]
False choices are often put in the form of rhetorical questions, as is the case with this question by Ralph Nader. Ralph Nader (born February 27, 1934) is an American attorney and political activist, who has promoted a wide range of issues, including consumer rights, feminism, humanitarianism, environmentalism and democratic government. ...
- "Which Party is on the offensive and which Party is on the defensive?" [5]
The choice is false, since any political party will take the offensive on some issues and take a defensive stance on other issues.
Black and white thinking A common form of the false dilemma in public discourse is black and white thinking. As an example, consider the following two patterns of reasoning, the first valid, the second invalid. - Example 1: Three is an odd number. Only even numbers are divisible by two. Therefore three is not divisible by two. (valid)
- Example 2: John says that three is an odd number. John is a liar. Therefore three is not an odd number. (invalid)
The first example is valid because natural numbers are either even or odd. The two classes are exhaustive and mutually exclusive. The second example is invalid because the categories "liar" and "truth teller" are neither exhaustive nor mutually exclusive. Anyone may tell some lies and some truths.
See also In logic, correlative-based fallacies, also known as fallacies of distraction, are logical fallacies based on correlative conjunctions. ...
Descartes Error: a book by neurologist Antonio R. Damasio, in which the author presents an argument that emotion and reason are not completely separate and, in fact, are quite dependent upon one another and essential to rational thinking. ...
The law of excluded middle (tertium non datur in Latin) states that for any proposition P, it is true that (P or ~P). ...
Pascals Wager (or Pascals Gambit) is the application by the French philosopher Blaise Pascal of decision theory to the belief in God. ...
The Nolan Chart is a political diagram popularized by the American libertarian David Nolan. ...
Half-truths are deceptive statements, that include some element of truth. ...
References - ^ ABC Counterpoint transcript (accessed 22 Oct 2006)
- ^ Ivor H. Evans, editor, Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable, 14th edition, Harper & Row, 1989, ISBN 0-06-016200-7,
- ^ G.W. Bush. Address to a Joint Session of Congress and the American People.
- ^ www.johnkerry.com
- ^ http://www.nader.org/interest/051905.html
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