Difference between revisions of "False accusation fallacy"
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Thomas: If atheism is true, than matter and energy should not exist, per the first two laws of thermodynamics. Matter and energy do exist, therefore atheism is false. | Thomas: If atheism is true, than matter and energy should not exist, per the first two laws of thermodynamics. Matter and energy do exist, therefore atheism is false. | ||
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Here, James committed the false accusation fallacy because he accused Thomas of affirming the consequent, which is something that Thomas didn't do. | Here, James committed the false accusation fallacy because he accused Thomas of affirming the consequent, which is something that Thomas didn't do. | ||
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Latest revision as of 21:55, January 5, 2020
The false accusation fallacy is a variant of the name-a-fallacy fallacy, which is the fallacy in which, rather than engaging with person A's arguments in detail, person B responds with the mention of a logical fallacy, without any explanation of how the fallacy actually applies to the argument at hand. What sets the false accusation fallacy apart is that the opponent mentions a fallacy that wasn't committed, whereas the name-a-fallacy fallacy is still committed regardless of whether person A did or didn't commit the fallacy that person B accused him/her of. Atheists on YouTube commonly commit this fallacy.
Example
Thomas: If atheism is true, than matter and energy should not exist, per the first two laws of thermodynamics. Matter and energy do exist, therefore atheism is false.
James: You just affirmed the consequent.
Here, James committed the false accusation fallacy because he accused Thomas of affirming the consequent, which is something that Thomas didn't do.