The subject I would like to review is false dilemmas, found in section A.4 of chapter 6. False dilemmas are an important portion of arguments as they are used often in everday situations. False dilemmas are also tricky to evaluate because while they are valid arguments, they are not strong arguments. The key to identifying a false dilemma is identifying a versus-claim and then looking for an "or" claim that fails to list all possible outcomes. An example of this would be:
"My mom is very sick, either we need to go take care of her or my sister has to."
While this argument is valid, it fails to be strong because it does not explore all of the available options. While these two groups may be the ones who end up taking care of the mother, it's entirely possible that the sick mother could go to the hospital, or even have a friend take care of her. As demonstrated by this example it's very important to explore all possibilities in order to avoid false dilemmas
Testing comments.
ReplyDeleteHey Jimmy:) I really liked your post because honestly, I was clueless and confused about false dilemmas when I read it in chapter 6, haha. But after reading your example and explanation, I better understand the idea of false dilemmas. You're right, it is important to explore all the possible solutions in order to avoid an argument to be weak. The more ideas and possibilities you have to back up a claim, the more likely your argument would appear strong. If you limit your possibilities, you may be missing out on a possibility that may work that you had not stated. It's always important to be thorough to further one's point. Great job:).
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