(May 28, 2022 at 1:11 pm)John 6IX Breezy Wrote: This might be a hard question to answer without examples. But what are some good ways to refute your favorite fallacy, without labeling it as that fallacy, or giving a textbook definition for why that fallacy is wrong?
For example, with a strawman. You might tell someone that the reason they're arguing against Y instead of X, is because arguing against X would make them sound irrational. Presumably this forces them to notice the shift, and if they do try to argue against X now, they have to address why they're not irrational for doing so.
Basically, I'm wondering if you guys have ever used someone's fallacy against them as a strategic advantage. Rather than just dismissing it as a fallacy. And if so what are some of your examples?
I'm pretty sure the logical fallacy I've seen the most is when people beg the question.
It's generally something along the lines of:
"Only those things that science demonstrates can be considered true."
"And how do we know this?"
"Because only science demonstrates what's true."
Or the naive atheist version:
"I don't believe in God because there's no scientific evidence for him."
"And how do you know that God is something for which there would be scientific evidence?"
"Because there's scientific evidence for real things, and God isn't real."
I'm perfectly willing to tell someone when he's begging the question, but I don't recall a time when it's ever done any good. If they're willing to commit such a blatant fallacy, they're deeply committed to their metaphysical belief, and can't imagine not affirming the consequent.
