Question

The statement "I think you're wrong because you used to do drugs while watching the show Family Matters" is what type of fallacy?

A. False Dilemma

b. Slippery Slope

c. Ad hominem

d. Ad populum.

Answer 1

”I think you’re wrong because you used to do drugs while watching the show Family Matters”

False Dilemma

• A false dilemma is a type of fallacy in which something is falsely claimed, when there is another additional option to consider.
• This type of fallacy is used when a person intentionally attempts to force a choice or outcome.
• This can also arise by accidental or simple omission of available options.

Example statement: Santhosh opposed the view of his colleagues that his business is going down and so he is illogical.

Santhosh might be a positive-attitude personality who hopes that his business is still growing but facing a small downfall which is temporary.

So from the question given, the person who said the statement (person A) comes to a conclusion that the person to whom the statement is pointed (person B) is wrong because of his act of using drugs while watching Family Matters which is a comedy film. Also the person A has omitted the option that person B might had a bitter experience relating to the hero of the film. He might be clouded with those thoughts when he see the film and forgets to enjoy the comedy in it and starts using drugs.

So the given statement comes under false dilemma.

Slippery slope

• Here a small action or step leads to a chain of related events usually resulting in a significance event (usually negative).
• The result of an argument under this fallacy is unintended consequence.
• This argument underlying this type of fallacy is used as a form of fear mongering.

From the given question, the statement does not result in an unintended consequence. Since a person who uses drugs while watching a comedy film might be wrong in the actual sense. So this can be ruled out.

Ad hominem

• The argument which rolls over this type of fallacy avoids a genuine discussion and attacks (verbal) the character, motive of the argument, the person who initiated the argument, or the person about whom the argument is.

Example argument:

Father: Stop smoking or you will regret later

Son: You were a smoker earlier and you lose the quality to advise me.

Here the son started attacking his father by using the fact that he smoked earlier and won the argument but it does not change the fact that he will regret in his later age.

So the statement given in the question does not seem to fit with this type of argument since the person towards whom the argument is fired is not involved in the argument.

Ad populum

• The argument which takes over this fallacy concludes the argument by choosing the solution which was chosen by the mass. He/she goes with the crowd rather than with the actual fact.

Example sentence: People say they have no time to exercise and so do I.

In this statement he goes with the masses forgetting the fact that he can exercise by time management and self-discipline.

From the given question, the statement does not fit with this type of fallacy too because no mass is considered.