Debate Guide: Logical fallacies and intergenerational sexuality

Logical fallacies are arguments whose premises somehow fail to support their conclusions. In debate, these fallacies tend to be based on inference (informal fallacies) rather than explicitly stated in the strict, logically fallacious sense (formal fallacies). They are easy to learn and very easy to spot thereafter. Identifying and deconstructing fallacuious arguments should be an important part of your debate strategy. Using fallacious arguments - especially those hard to detect ones grounded in rhetoric and vague implications is a discipline in which many seasoned politicians, pundits and public speakers have become grand masters.

This page lists a number of common fallacies of argumentation.

Strawman

The strawman is a common logical fallacy, in which the opponent builds an exaggerated, caricatured or ludicrous version of your argument. They may simply parade the stupidity of the straw man, or take what you said out of context, and then argue against it. An example of parading / floating a straw man is as follows:

"The censorers are coming! They're going to stop the free exercise of "luring" little kids into pornography or sex slavery! GAWD HELP US ALLL!1111" (DaninGraniteCity, IIDB, 2006)

In a more dangerous example, someone may establish that you are trying to force yourself upon children, by relaxing the age of consent (in fact, you advocate no law that requires children to behave sexually at all). They may then build a detailed critique of such a straw man, i.e. they will burn the straw man. Always point out that they are arguing aimlessly, and don't try to defend opinions that have been attributed to you via the straw man. Criticise the assumptions that they make, and maybe even take what they say to it's ludicrous, logical conclusion, i.e. a rational straw man.

Genetic fallacies

Genetic fallacies are fallacies of irrelevance where conclusions are derived from something or someone's origin rather than its current meaning or context. This overlooks any difference to be found in the present situation, typically transferring the positive or negative esteem from the earlier context.

Association fallacy

Ad hominem

A personal attack or ad hominem argument is fallacious as it derives no value from the merits of its opponent's argument. A number of later discussed association fallacies have personal appeal and are therefore ad hominems. A general example follows:

"Some decades ago, Mr Green, you argued for the removal of homosexuality from the DSM. As I'm sure my friends at NARTH would agree, you, Mr Green hardly cut a moral or authoritative figure in the human sciences. Now, tell us why we are to listen to your latest musings on pedophilia and why these arguments should be seen to hold up whatsoever."

Guilt by association:

Nikki Craft attempts to discredit the late Ralph Underwager by referring to his interview with Paidika, and Paul Okami by suggesting that undesirable groups use his work to their advantage. None of this alters Underwager or Okami's arguments, or their merit.

Honor by association:

"Lisa M. Jones is a student of David Finkelhor who is an exemplary researcher on child sexual abuse. How could you possibly criticise her good work, in light of this!?"

Appeal to...

...e.g., Sexual Liberation

"Most swingers (who are sexually liberated people) think lowly of sex with minors".

The swingers, with whom the ultimate title of 'sexual liberation' is identified 'think lowly' of our most important arguments, which must therefore be false ideals of liberation. The 'swinger' argument is also faulty because swinging is just one liberated subculture, one thread of the cloth. The argument also puts beliefs into our swingers' heads, when in fact, they may be even more liberal than most regarding child sexuality. If this is so, maybe we are more entitled to this fallacy!

Similarly, we also regularly find appeals to authority, motive and tradition in opponent's arguments.

Well poisoning

Sometimes, an opponent may present unfavourable information about an opponent before considering the merits of any of his or her arguments:

"Before you listen to my opponent, may I remind you that he has been in jail."

Differences and comparisons

False dichotomy

The false dichotomy is a fallacy in setting only two possible outcomes to a question. These two possible outcomes are most often in conflict with each other and generally serve to restrict debate and swing it in favour of the person setting the question. Anti pedophile "scientists" and pundits (e.g. Stephanie Dallam) are notorious for dichotomising issues, as are their anti-gay predecessors (e.g. Edmund Bergler).

False compromise

A false compromise argument will typically assume that a position in between two stated extremes is automatically superior by virtue of it being more moderate. It can be used to reclaim lost ground after strong arguments made by opponents. For example:

"I will concede your points concerning the vast industry and vested political interests in recovering memories of childhood sexual abuse. But by arguing that these phenomena are nearly always made-up is a stretch too far and invoking Loftus' argument that they can be deliberately implanted is simple overkill. As both extremes seem unlikely, a middle way on this issue is always more sensible and more likely to bear truth".

There is no sensible compromise when neither extreme has been adequately refuted, or shown to have any value.

Darkside fallacy

Whilst we are unable to find reliable sources that document the use of this argument, it is clearly a fallacy of rhetorical implication.

This is in effect the opposite of a false compromise. Here, two opposing extremes are presented, but in this case they are both endorsed. By endorsing a patently valid argument of the opposition in order to imply that there must be a "bad side" to something, the proponent is makinf a fallacious argument. The darkside argument is regularly used in the anti-child propaganda of paid establishment figureheads such as Tanya Byron. For example, Byron and others often argue that the internet has opened up "new opportunities" for minors. They will then go on to add that "it also poses a considerable threat to their wellbeing". The implication that mentioning one point somehow validates or renders equally important the other is hard to pin down. However, the fact that two vastly counteracting points are so often mentioned in close proximity to each other is a good sign that an argument has attained "soundbite status" because of its slippery, fallacious appeal.

Others

Other fallacies include circular arguments, non sequiturs, appeals to popularity, authority, pity and emotion. You will automatically pick up on a lot of these, but it is best to read up on logical fallacies, so that you can increase your vigilance, and avoid making a confused or emotional comment yourself (maybe in response to a logical fallacy that you 'can't quite put your finger on').