The informal fallacy of false dilemma (also called false dichotomy, the either-or fallacy) involves a situation in which only two alternatives are considered, when in fact there are other options. Closely related are failing to consider a range of options and the tendency to think in extremes, called black-and-white thinking. Strictly speaking, the prefix "di" in "dilemma" means "two". When a list of more than two choices is offered, but there are other choices not mentioned, then the fallacy is called the fallacy of false choice, or the fallacy of exhaustive hypotheses.
Wikipedia
Awhile back, Daily Kos was introduced to the "no true Scotsman" fallacy (At the moment I can't find the first diary on it, still searching for for the link). Since then, people have been regularly mentioning it, and the recognition of it has improved arguments here tremendously. With this in mind, I would like to discuss another, even more common, logical fallacy--the fallacy of the false dilemma.
The Republicans are masters of the false dilemma.
You either support the President, or you support the terrorists.
You either oppose universal health care, or you are a socialist.
We at Daily Kos are generally very good at seeing these arguments as false dilemmas. We are not so good at seeing our own use of false dilemmas.
I bring up this fallacy based on the reactions to a comment I made in another dairy. (I am not suggesting that my comment was brilliant, or even right, by the way.). My point is that I was concerned about potential free speech issues, but many of the responses suggested that I must support corporate citizenship--the fallacy of the false dilemma.
Today, in many diaries there are debates over whether the protesters/republicans at health care town halls are
- Fascists
- Corporate Hacks
- Expressing their own (delusional) free speech rights
- etc.
The problem I see throughout the diaries and comments is that we are restricting ourselves to only one answer--the fallacy of the false dilemma.
We are Democrats, we live in the world of grey. Many of us can support a woman's right to abortion, while still hoping that the number of abortions can be limited through birth control and education. We can recognize that Saddam Hussein was a dictator, without assuming we must invade. Subtlety is our strength, but only so long as we refrain from the fallacy of the false dilemma.