False Dilemma

A concept from Chapter 6 that I found useful was the concept of False Dilemma. Epstein Describes False dilemma as “a bad use if excluding possibilities where the “or” claim is false or implausible”. The “or” claim is called a false dilemma sometimes. We allow ourselves to think that we can only choose between two options.

False Dilemmas follow this pattern:

1. Either claim A is true or claim B is true. A and B could both be false

2.  Claim B is false

3.  As a result claim A is true

Example:

John:  Carl and I are going on a double date at the movies tomorrow with Simone and Mary

Carl: I didn’t say I would

John: You don’t have a girlfriend already do you Carl?

John assumed that since Carl wouldn’t go on the double date with him that he must already have a girlfriend already. There are many other reason why Carl didn’t want to go on the double date with John. It is not fair to assume that having a girlfriend is the only reason why he wouldn’t go with him.