The book doesn't go into very much detail about the specific fallacies so I did a little extra research as well. But I still couldn't find a very concrete definition of a content fallacy so if you understand it well please leave me a post with your interpretation. Anyways, the slippery slope fallacy is when someone assumes that one statement directly follows another statement. And when they do this, they do it without even making an argument of how or why the statement should follow. For instance, if I were to say, "I need to break up with my girlfriend. If I don't, she will probably cheat on me." This is a slippery slope because there is no argument or stated reasoning for me to assume she will probably cheat on me. The website nizkor.org stated the following:
"This sort of 'reasoning' is fallacious because there is no reason to believe that one event must inevitably follow from another without an argument for such a claim. This is especially clear in cases in which there is a significant number of steps or gradations between one event and another."
An argument like this cannot be valid. Remember, for an argument to be valid, it has to be impossible for the conclusion to be false and the premises true. The slippery slope fallacy is invalid because even if the premises are true, jumping to an assumed conclusion is false. Nizkor.org did a good job of showing this in a variable form:
1. Event X has occurred (or will or might occur).
2. Therefore event Y will inevitably happen.
I too felt that the book didn’t cover slippery slope as much as they should have. I remember back in my high school AP English class we covered slippery slope extensively. You did a very good job explaining slippery slope fallacy in two parts. I like the variable approach that you found as well. As the book states the premise cannot be right and the conclusion false at the same time in order for the argument to be valid. Your example was very useful in explaining this type of fallacy. Breaking up with your girlfriend so she doesn’t cheat on you is a very illogical way of thinking. More could be added to this statement to expand upon the slippery slope idea. For example, “If she cheats on me than I will lose have lost and she will have won the game.” This follows the slippery slope idea because it is not true, although many young and naïve people see relationships this way. All in all great post!
ReplyDeleteI also agree that the readings did not cover the concept of slippery slope very well. They spent only a minor amount of discussing this major fallacy in my own option. I hear this fallacy all the time whether from my friends or politicians themselves they all do this fallacy and I am glad you did more research and discussed this concept. I enjoyed your post it actually helped me better understand this concept and it made me want to learn more about it. I also enjoyed the example you gave it was an idea that was easily understood. Overall I enjoyed your post and I hope you keep it up.
ReplyDelete