Steelman
False analogy
Also called weak analogy, faulty analogy, questionable analogy.
Arguing that two things alike in some ways must be alike in another, when the similarities don’t matter.
What it is
Concluding that because two things are similar in some respects, they are also similar in a further respect, when the shared features aren’t relevant to it or there are important differences.
The pattern
A and B are alike in respects 1, 2 and 3. A has property P. Therefore B has P. (But 1–3 have nothing to do with P.)
An example
“Employees are like nails. Nails only work when you hit them on the head, so employees only work when you push them hard.”
Nails and employees share almost nothing relevant to motivation. People respond to many things that nails don’t.
Why it fails
Analogies only carry over properties connected to the similarities. If the relevant differences outweigh the similarities, the conclusion doesn’t transfer.
When it’s not a fallacy
Most lists skip this part. Calling a fair point a fallacy is a mistake too.
It can be fair when
- The similarities are relevant to the conclusion. Testing a drug on mice to learn about humans is reasonable because of shared biology, though results still need confirming in humans.
Try one
A question from the app. The wrong answers are its usual look-alikes.
Marco: “The whole point of this game is that the bosses are brutal. Beating one after fifty tries is the experience. An easy mode changes what the game is.” Jules: “Movies have subtitles and audio description so more people can enjoy them, and nobody says that ruins the film. An easy mode is the same thing.”
What’s the flaw?
Subtitles help more people take in the same film. Marco’s point is that the difficulty is the experience, so an easy mode changes the thing itself. The comparison skips the one difference that matters.
A fair reply
“Subtitles don’t change what happens in the film, but an easy mode changes the part I said was the point.”
Often confused with
- False equivalence
False equivalence claims two things are equal overall. A false analogy transfers one specific property.
Where the name comes from
“Analogy” comes from a Greek word for proportion, as in “A is to B as C is to D”. A false analogy claims a match where the parts that matter don’t line up. “Weak”, “faulty” and “questionable” analogy make the same charge in milder words.
Sources
- Fallacies, Bradley Dowden, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
In the app
Practice spotting it on arguments that sound real.
Steelman has more examples of false analogy, how to answer it in a real conversation, and practice rounds that mix it with its look-alikes, so you learn the difference, not just the name. Coming soon to iPhone and Android.
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