Steelman
False dilemma
Also called false dichotomy, black-or-white fallacy, either/or fallacy, bifurcation, false choice.
Presenting only two options when more exist.
What it is
Unfairly presenting a limited set of options, usually two, as if they were the only possibilities, and then pushing the listener to choose between them.
The pattern
Either A or B. Not A. Therefore B. (Other options exist.)
An example
“Either you support this surveillance bill, or you don’t care about stopping terrorism.”
Someone can care a great deal about terrorism and still oppose this particular bill, for instance by preferring different measures.
Why it fails
The form is valid, but the first premise is false: the “either/or” leaves out real alternatives, middle positions, or the option of doing both or neither. The conclusion is only as good as that incomplete menu.
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 options really are exhaustive. Everything is either black or not black, even though not everything is black or white.
- The other alternatives have been fairly considered and ruled out. Narrowing the options with evidence is good reasoning.
Try one
A question from the app. The wrong answers are its usual look-alikes.
Kitchen. Nia: “Uncle Ray’s electrician apprenticeship paid him while he trained, and now he makes more than most of my teachers.” Mom: “Honey, it’s simple. You get a degree, or you spend your life in jobs that pay twelve dollars an hour. I want more for you than that.” Nia: “Can we talk about this after dinner?” Mom: “We can. It won’t change my answer.”
What’s the flaw?
Nia just described a third path, a paid apprenticeship that led to good money. Mom offers only a degree or low pay, as if the trades didn’t exist.
A fair reply
“Uncle Ray skipped college, Mom, and he’s not making twelve dollars an hour.”
Often confused with
- Middle ground
The middle-ground fallacy assumes the truth must lie between two positions. A false dilemma pretends the in-between options don’t exist.
- Slippery slope
A slippery slope predicts a chain of consequences. A false dilemma limits the choices available right now.
Where the name comes from
A dilemma (from the Greek for “two premises”) is a forced choice between two options. This one is false because there are more. Dichotomy is Greek for “cutting in two”, and bifurcation comes from the Latin for “two-pronged”, like a fork. Black-or-white, either/or and false choice all describe the menu it offers: two options and no shades of gray.
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 dilemma, 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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