In this series, we've been looking at ideas that are dismissed too quickly. "Fallacy!" is the label applied, as if the accusation alone settles the matter. The word has power, and rightly so. A knowledge of fallacies is critical to blocking attempts at manipulation from others and avoiding argumentative mistakes ourselves. But sometimes the label is a substitute for real  Continue Reading …

The tu quoque fallacy is a sneaky one. It can come and go before you know it. Strictly speaking, tu quoque means "you too." It's a lot like accusing someone of hypocrisy. The fallacious part comes a step a down the line when, through an accusation of hypocrisy, doubt is cast on the content of the claim. We ought to be able to separate two things: one, an accusation of  Continue Reading …

Understanding logical fallacies is crucial to bringing order and discipline to our arguments. But fallacies are also the stock-in-trade of any keyboard warrior fighting it out in the online trenches. It can get tedious. "Fallacy bro" is a term used to pick out this annoying quality. The accusation of a fallacy often comes too quickly, or comes while missing a larger point. So,  Continue Reading …