STRAW MAN
- A sham, weak or imaginary argument that is set up to be easily defeated.
- A logic fallacy involving the purposeful misrepresentation of an argument in order to strike it down.
FALSE EQUIVALENCE
- A logical fallacy which describes a situation where there is a logical and apparent equivalence, when, in fact, there is none.
- A similarity, which is the result of an oversimplification or ignorance of additional factors, represented as equivalence.
ANALYSIS
The additional risk of death or injury associated with a person’s possession of a gun is the actual issue in question, and, since risk in this situation involves an increase in the odds of getting injured or killed, this makes the imaginary argument, Guns kill people, the straw man.
Because the issue is risk, the first false equivalence is in the association of objects like pencils and spoons, which involve little risk, to objects like cars and guns which involve significant risk.
In looking at risk, cars and guns both increase the odds of death or injury.
But, any risk analysis involves reviewing the balance of the associated risks with the potential rewards.
People accept the additional risk of car ownership and use, by themselves and others, because of the significant daily benefits that a car provides. However this acceptance has limitations imposed by licenses, age and competency restrictions.
Unless the owner of a gun is in a war zone, the daily benefit of gun ownership is objectively several magnitudes less then that of a car, making the car and gun comparison the second false equivalence.
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