|
|
Trying to figure out the fallacy here, I can't put my thumb on it.Person A: I believe there are only two genders.
Person B: Why do you say so? Person A: Because NO ONE'S ever proven that there are more than two Now, I'm rather sure that there's a fallacy here but I don't know which, somebody help? |
| asked on Wednesday, Mar 06, 2019 12:55:46 PM by Skeptic Al | |
Top Categories Suggested by Community |
|
Comments |
|
|
| |
Want to get notified of all questions as they are asked? Update your mail preferences and turn on "Instant Notification."
Many of our ideas about the world are based more on feelings than facts, sensibilities than science, and rage than reality. We gravitate toward ideas that make us feel comfortable in areas such as religion, politics, philosophy, social justice, love and sex, humanity, and morality. We avoid ideas that make us feel uncomfortable. This avoidance is a largely unconscious process that affects our judgment and gets in the way of our ability to reach rational and reasonable conclusions. By understanding how our mind works in this area, we can start embracing uncomfortable ideas and be better informed, be more understanding of others, and make better decisions in all areas of life.
* This is for the author's bookstore only. Applies to autographed hardcover, audiobook, and ebook.
|
|
Argument from Ignorance . The assumption of a conclusion or fact based primarily on lack of evidence to the contrary.
Scientifically, this is a strange dialog because gender (not biological sex) is a socially constructed concept to which no "proof" can exist outside of wide-scale agreement. A gender is XYZ because we, as a society, has agreed that it is. |
| answered on Wednesday, Mar 06, 2019 01:02:09 PM by Bo Bennett, PhD |
Comments |
|
| |
|
|
It does sound like argument from ignorance (see Kahane, Logic and Contemporary Argument).
But there may also be a false dilemma. The argument assumes that only two choices are possible. (Getting into factual area here, many scientists have researched various intersex sates.) When someone tells you in a loud voice that there are only two choices, caution is advised. |
| answered on Wednesday, Mar 06, 2019 01:20:09 PM by Bill |
Comments |
|
| |
|
|
The claimant prefaces his or her statement with "I believe" which neutralizes the claim.
It is simply a statement of belief. The belief states there are only two genders and thus through its ambiguous use of the word, gender creates a Fallacy of Amphiboly. Linguistically, an amphiboly is a type of ambiguity that results from ambiguous grammar, as opposed to one that results from the ambiguity of words or phrases—that is, equivocation. Logically, the fallacy of amphiboly occurs when a bad argument trades upon grammatical ambiguity to create an illusion of cogency. As Dr. Bo describes: Ambiguity Fallacy (also known as: ambiguous assertion, amphiboly, amphibology, semantical ambiguity, vagueness) Description: When an unclear phrase with multiple definitions is used within the argument; therefore, does not support the conclusion. Some will say single words count for the ambiguity fallacy, which is really a specific form of a fallacy known as equivocation. Logical Form: Claim X is made. Y is concluded based on an ambiguous understanding of X. |
| answered on Thursday, Mar 07, 2019 11:25:21 AM by mchasewalker |
Comments |
|
| |
|
|
My interpretation of the statement:
Assertions without proof are absolutely True. If I may cheat with an equivalent model: Person A: I believe that God exists. Person B: Why do you say so? Person A: Because no one has ever proven that God does not exist. I am reading LF for the first time, so I have no idea which one of the 300 violations this fits. |
| answered on Thursday, Mar 07, 2019 02:48:35 PM by mchasewalker |
Comments |
|
| |
