What is the name of the logical fallacy where you rhetorically invalidate an argument by providing an unflattering explanation of why someone might holds that viewpoint, rather than addressing the claim itself? I seem to remember there being a word for that sort of thing.
The genetic fallacy has more to do with dismissing a claim because of its origins or history, rather than because of who holds that view today. For instance, arguments from novelty or antiquity are genetic fallacies.
Yes, Bulverism appears to be a specific subcategory of the genetic fallacy, and Bulverism more precisely answers Ishaan’s question. Thanks for the clarification.
It’s “explaining away” or “intercausal reasoning” applied to the “good reasons → belief ← bad reasons” Bayes net, and it’s not really a fallacy. It doesn’t invalidate arguments directly but it should still make us decrease our belief, because (1) we need to partly undo our update in favor of the belief caused by observing that the other person holds that belief, and (2) we need to compensate for our own increased desire to believe.
It’s often rude, because it implies that the other person is either dishonest or stupid, since it suggests that the other person’s expressed belief is either not genuine (e.g. lies or belief-in-belief) or genuine but not due solely to truth (e.g. influenced by subconscious signaling concerns).
Since this reasoning pattern is rude, i.e. status-lowering, people often claim that it’s logically invalid when it’s used against a belief that they hold. (See what I did there?) This status-lowering property also means we must be careful to apply it to our own beliefs too, not only our opponents’ beliefs.
What is the name of the logical fallacy where you rhetorically invalidate an argument by providing an unflattering explanation of why someone might holds that viewpoint, rather than addressing the claim itself? I seem to remember there being a word for that sort of thing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulverism
A related idea is psychologizing — analyzing someone’s belief as a psychological phenomenon rather than as a factual claim.
I believe that is the genetic fallacy.
The genetic fallacy has more to do with dismissing a claim because of its origins or history, rather than because of who holds that view today. For instance, arguments from novelty or antiquity are genetic fallacies.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_fallacy
Yes, Bulverism appears to be a specific subcategory of the genetic fallacy, and Bulverism more precisely answers Ishaan’s question. Thanks for the clarification.
It’s “explaining away” or “intercausal reasoning” applied to the “good reasons → belief ← bad reasons” Bayes net, and it’s not really a fallacy. It doesn’t invalidate arguments directly but it should still make us decrease our belief, because (1) we need to partly undo our update in favor of the belief caused by observing that the other person holds that belief, and (2) we need to compensate for our own increased desire to believe.
It’s often rude, because it implies that the other person is either dishonest or stupid, since it suggests that the other person’s expressed belief is either not genuine (e.g. lies or belief-in-belief) or genuine but not due solely to truth (e.g. influenced by subconscious signaling concerns).
Since this reasoning pattern is rude, i.e. status-lowering, people often claim that it’s logically invalid when it’s used against a belief that they hold. (See what I did there?) This status-lowering property also means we must be careful to apply it to our own beliefs too, not only our opponents’ beliefs.