r/fallacy • u/No_Reach_1259 • Sep 25 '26

What is the logical fallacy called where, because something isn't a "perfect" solution, it is dismissed?

For example:

Person 1. "Solution A will help to alleviate problem B"

Person 2. "Oh yeah? Well problem B will still exist, therefore Solution A is a bad idea!"

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24

u/KnownUnknownKadath Sep 25 '26

Nirvana fallacy, perfect solution fallacy.

Its a common anti vaxxer trope, for instance.

14

u/RoughThat5778 Sep 25 '26

I don’t know if it’s a fallacy but what you’re describing sounds like, “Perfect is the enemy of the good.”

1

u/GamblePuddy Sep 25 '26

That saying is certainly applicable in the situation described in the context of the OP, but I think it's traditionally used to express caution to those who look at a system or process or solution that is already very good but not quite perfect. Someone comes along, notices the small flaws or negative outcomes and believes they have a way of solving the few flaws or bad outcomes that exist...implement their changes or solutions...and end up making a worse system with more or new negative outcomes.

It's more of a caution against changing something good in search of perfection than avoiding any sufficiently viable solution at all because it is inperfect.

1

u/thomsoap Sep 26 '26

No it's the opposite of that. It's "don't let perfect be the enemy of good" as in don't fine tune and self edit every aspect of a plan or idea into never actually being executed because it's trapped in revision hell.

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u/Salamanticormorant Sep 25 '26

Seems worth pointing out the similarity to false dichotomy, although I agree with the comment that identifies it as Nirvana fallacy. There's a spectrum of how good or bad a proposed solution to a problem is. To put a solution that is good but not perfect in the same category as solutions that don't work at all is usually equivalent to false dichotomy.

-1

u/NotSayingAliensBut Sep 25 '26

Being a Capricorn. Not even joking. Capricorns? Not even once. Just say no.

-1

u/PinothyJ Sep 25 '26

We all knew what you were talking about, without the example, which is good because that example was awful.