Difference between revisions of "Genetic fallacy"
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
(The reference doesn't quite say that; improved form of footnote; type of fallacy; another internal link.) |
(added "See Also" section) |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
The '''genetic fallacy''' is a [[logical fallacy]] wherein an argument is based on the circumstances of something's origin or history when that origin or history has nothing to do with the present value of that something.<ref>[http://www.fallacyfiles.org/genefall.html Fallacy Files: Genetic Fallacy]</ref> The fallacy is thus a fallacy of relevance. An example is arguing that [[Christian]]s should not decorate [[Christmas tree]]s because thousands of years ago such practices were performed by [[pagans]]. | The '''genetic fallacy''' is a [[logical fallacy]] wherein an argument is based on the circumstances of something's origin or history when that origin or history has nothing to do with the present value of that something.<ref>[http://www.fallacyfiles.org/genefall.html Fallacy Files: Genetic Fallacy]</ref> The fallacy is thus a fallacy of relevance. An example is arguing that [[Christian]]s should not decorate [[Christmas tree]]s because thousands of years ago such practices were performed by [[pagans]]. | ||
| − | + | ==See Also== | |
| + | *[[Guilt by Association]] | ||
| + | *[[Reductio ad Hitlerum]] | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
[[Category: Logical Fallacies]] | [[Category: Logical Fallacies]] | ||
Revision as of 16:28, December 14, 2011
The genetic fallacy is a logical fallacy wherein an argument is based on the circumstances of something's origin or history when that origin or history has nothing to do with the present value of that something.[1] The fallacy is thus a fallacy of relevance. An example is arguing that Christians should not decorate Christmas trees because thousands of years ago such practices were performed by pagans.