Steelman
Tu quoque
Also called tu quoque (“you too”), appeal to hypocrisy, you too, “Look who’s talking”.
Dismissing an argument because the person making it doesn’t follow their own advice.
What it is
Rejecting someone’s argument or criticism because they are inconsistent or hypocritical: they do the very thing they argue against, or once said the opposite.
The pattern
A argues that X is wrong. A does X (or once defended X). Therefore A’s argument against X fails.
An example
“My doctor told me to lose weight, but she’s overweight herself, so I don’t need to listen.”
The doctor’s weight doesn’t change the evidence about the patient’s health risks. The advice could be sound even if she doesn’t follow it.
Why it fails
Hypocrisy shows a gap between someone’s words and their actions, not that their words are false. A smoker who warns that smoking causes cancer is inconsistent, but the medical evidence is unchanged. The reasons in an argument are just as good or bad whoever voices them.
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 question is the person’s sincerity or trustworthiness, not the truth of their claim. It’s fair to ask whether a politician who campaigns against perks while expensing luxuries should be trusted with the budget.
- You’re pointing out that a rule is enforced unevenly, and the issue is fairness of enforcement rather than whether the rule is correct.
Try one
A question from the app. The wrong answers are its usual look-alikes.
Comment thread on the new climate rules. Aisha: “The report’s clear: cutting emissions this decade costs far less than paying for floods and failed harvests later. The rules should move faster.” Grant: “You posted beach photos from three different countries this summer, Aisha. Start with your own flights, then we’ll talk about everyone else’s.” Aisha: “I wondered when the beach photos would come up.” Grant: “They were great photos, to be fair.”
What’s the flaw?
Aisha’s argument rests on the report’s cost comparison, and her vacations don’t change those numbers. Grant answers her flying instead of her evidence.
A fair reply
“Fair, I fly too much. The report’s numbers don’t change because of me.”
Often confused with
- Ad hominem
Tu quoque is one form of ad hominem, the one that targets inconsistency or hypocrisy.
- Whataboutism
Whataboutism deflects criticism by accusing someone else, often a rival side, of similar wrongs. Tu quoque specifically claims the arguer’s own hypocrisy defeats their argument.
Where the name comes from
Tu quoque is Latin for “you too”. It’s the comeback that turns a criticism back on the critic: you do it too. Appeal to hypocrisy names what it leans on, the critic’s hypocrisy instead of their reasons. “Look who’s talking” is how it often sounds out loud.
Sources
- Fallacies, Bradley Dowden, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
- Ad hominem, Wikipedia
In the app
Practice spotting it on arguments that sound real.
Steelman has more examples of tu quoque, 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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