Is "blaming the victim" a logical fallacy?
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Original Question
I had skin cancer surgery on my back. When I returned home, the surgical scar was below where I believe the original biopsy occurred. The final lab result shows no cancer in the tissue removed during surgery which furthers my belief the surgeon erred. How do I respond if the surgeon blames me?
Comments on Question
It is not. Sometimes victim bears some responsibility. Blaming the victim seems like a horrible thing to do, but there are situations when the victim is 100% responsible for wrongdoing. Like when you shot the burglar-killer first, before he managed to do it to you.
The most common such situation may be when a speeding teenager hits a pole and kills himself in his car.
Answers
2First, one has to determine the degree to which the victim is responsible, if at all.
Second, blaming a victim is not automatically fallacious - it depends on the reasoning involved, and could take the form of a whole host of fallacies.
Is "blaming the victim" a logical fallacy?
No. Sometimes the victim does deserve at least some blame, sometimes they bear some of the responsibility, and sometimes the victim is unreasonably blamed. It depends on the situation.
As for your particular situation, this sounds like something you might want to ask a lawyer.
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The question is premature. Wait until you talk with the surgeon.