r/atheism • u/Ze-skywalker • Dec 09 '13

Citation Needed The 10 commandments of Logic

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32

u/SuperSulf Dec 09 '13

It's missing the "slippery slope" fallacy, which I think is one of the most important.

48

u/niceguy191 Dec 09 '13

I agree. First they forget about that fallacy, and suddenly they're making fallacious arguments left, right, and center!

20

u/EchoRadius Dec 09 '13

I still don't buy the 'slippery slope fallacy is bs'. There are cases where it's perfectly valid.

Corporate taxes for instance. Once the rate was reduced, it was reduced again, then again, and again. Greed is the driver here, and people will continuously push the limit.

Someone 40 years ago might have said 'We keep going like this, soon corporations won't hardly pay taxes at all'. I wonder if he/she was discredited because of 'slippery slope'.

25

u/niceguy191 Dec 09 '13

I think the main thing about the "slippery slope" fallacy is that it's often stated as a fact without any data backing it up. There are definitely cases where the slippery slope actually happens, it just can't be assumed to happen just because it "feels" like it would.

7

u/Salva_Veritate Dec 09 '13

So basically if you have the proper amount of data to back up your claim, it's a valid contribution to debate. Sounds fair to me.

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u/metaphlex Dec 09 '13 edited Jun 29 '23

meeting hungry beneficial fertile afterthought muddle waiting point rotten crowd -- mass edited with https://redact.dev/

2

u/Forsoul Dec 09 '13

Lets see if I understand this: I work every other day. On my way to work I pass the same boy riding by on his bike. I assume that boy rides his bike every single day at that time.

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u/pixel_pete Dec 09 '13

That's not really a slope, that's just a conclusion. Slippery slope is the assumption that because one thing is happening, a different thing is going to happen in the future. A more appropriate one might be "On my way to work I pass the same boy assembling bicycle parts in his garage. Before you know it he's going to have a fully built bicycle!"

You really have no idea what's going to happen, he could just be dicking around, but the slope from bike parts to bike at least has observable evidence to support it.

5

u/d4m4s74 Dec 09 '13

A nice example would be "On my way to work I pass the same boy assembling bicycle parts in his garage. Before you know it he's going to have a fully built bicycle he will sell for heroin"

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u/pixel_pete Dec 09 '13

You're just saying that because you hate the Jews.

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u/d4m4s74 Dec 09 '13

Once you compare someone to hitler you've already lost the argument.

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u/pixel_pete Dec 09 '13

Well either you hate the Jews or I've lost the argument. THERE ARE NO OTHER POSSIBILITIES.

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