False Dilemma Fallacy
Also known as “false dichotomy”
“You either support us or you support them.”
There are two common ways to commit this fallacy. First, you can present two options as mutually exclusive when they aren’t. For example: “We must choose between economic growth and protecting the environment.”
Second, you can present two options as the only options, ignoring other alternatives. In “You either support us or you support them,” a reasonable alternative is to support neither (or to support both on different issues).
If someone says, “It’s either A or B,” useful questions include:
- Could A and B both be correct (or partially correct)?
- Could there be a C?
If the answer to either is “yes,” you now have more options to consider. False dilemmas impose unreasonable constraints on discussions and decisions.
Back to the Logical Fallacy Handbook
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