Is this a logical Fallacy?

Justforfun000 · Post by **Justforfun000** » 2005-09-06 01:15pm

Someone messaged me privately with this example..It's not ringing a bell to me as a fallacy, but maybe I'm just not familiar with it.

[Gravity Allen] Hello, I was wondering if you could answer a question regarding fallacies since, in a recent thread, you had provided a link to a very informative website all about them. I searched the site but could not seem to find the one I was looking for, which is described as follows:

Person A holds some position, but Person B rejects that position, so Person A assumes Person B holds the exact opposite position.

Do you know the logical fallacy that refers to this line of reasoning? Your help would be much appreciated.

Sir Sirius · Post by **Sir Sirius** » 2005-09-06 01:33pm

False Dilemma.

Justforfun000 · Post by **Justforfun000** » 2005-09-06 01:53pm

hmmm. It's not QUITE that though.....It's more of an assumption that the other side MUST have an extreme viewpoint even when they haven't said so.

It's not like the person said the two sides and demanded it had to be one or the other....so it doesn't seem to be that...

Pezzoni · Post by **Pezzoni** » 2005-09-06 03:03pm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_dilemma

That does seem pretty close: Whilst it isn't an exact description, it does get the main reason for the statement being fellacious... Assuming there is no middle ground.

Post by **Surlethe** » 2005-09-06 03:39pm

It seems like a false dilemma combined with a strawman: person A is forcing person B to choose an extreme opposite of person A's position, which, presumably, is easier to knock down.

Boyish-Tigerlilly · Post by **Boyish-Tigerlilly** » 2005-09-06 10:57pm

I have noticed that a lot of organizations that deal with logic tend to make new fallacies to deal with new situtatious. Would this be a kinda of Antipole fallacy?

I guess Antipole Fallacy would be: If you don't agree with person A, Person B automatically have extreme possition C.

Civil War Man · Post by **Civil War Man** » 2005-09-07 07:59am

As Surlethe said, sounds like a False Dilemma with a bit of strawman (since you are pigeonholing person B into a certain position). But I think there'd also be a Black and White fallacy in there, since if disagreement causes person A to assume person B holds the opposite position, person A probably assumes that there are only two positions to hold.

Adrian Laguna · Post by **Adrian Laguna** » 2005-09-07 05:05pm

What you are describing sounds similar to Mcartyism, or the reaction of many among the general populace to the Anti-Vietnam War movement. If Person B opposes the actions of Government then Person A calls B a Communist or Anarchist. I'm thinking Strawman and Black & White fallacy.