Difference between revisions of "Middle-ground fallacy"
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The middle-ground fallacy is the opposite of the [[False Dilemma]], the fallacy of assuming without justification that the middle ground does not exist at all. Both arguments are fallacies because the mere existence of two extreme positions says nothing about the existence or the rightness of the middle ground. | The middle-ground fallacy is the opposite of the [[False Dilemma]], the fallacy of assuming without justification that the middle ground does not exist at all. Both arguments are fallacies because the mere existence of two extreme positions says nothing about the existence or the rightness of the middle ground. | ||
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| + | As an example, the middle ground between [[Christianity]] and [[evolutionism]] is not necessarily correct. In fact, it is disastrously wrong.<ref>[http://www.albertmohler.com/2011/02/01/creation-vs-evolution-the-new-shape-of-the-debate/ Creation vs. Evolution — The New Shape of the Debate]</ref> | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
[[Category:Logical Fallacies]] | [[Category:Logical Fallacies]] | ||
Revision as of 16:44, May 16, 2011
The middle-ground fallacy, also called the fallacy of moderation and the golden-mean fallacy, is the fallacy of assuming that a middle position between two extremes must be correct simply because it is the middle position.[1] If it can be shown through sound logic, independently of the two extremes, that the middle position is the correct one, then the fallacy has not been committed.
The middle-ground fallacy is the opposite of the False Dilemma, the fallacy of assuming without justification that the middle ground does not exist at all. Both arguments are fallacies because the mere existence of two extreme positions says nothing about the existence or the rightness of the middle ground.
As an example, the middle ground between Christianity and evolutionism is not necessarily correct. In fact, it is disastrously wrong.[2]