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.
Courses
Fallacy Detectors
Develop the skills to tackle logical fallacies through a series of 10 science-fiction videos with activities. Recommended for ages 8 and up.
Social Media Simulator
Teach your kids to spot misinformation and manipulation in a safe and controlled environment before they face the real thing. Recommended for ages 9 and up.
A Statistical Odyssey
Learn about common mistakes in data analysis with an interactive space adventure. Recommended for ages 12 and up.
Logic for Teens
Learn how to make sense of complicated arguments with 14 video lessons and activities. Recommended for ages 13 and up.
Emotional Intelligence
Learn to recognize, understand, and manage your emotions. Designed by child psychologist Ronald Crouch, Ph.D. Recommended for ages 5 to 8.
Worksheets
Logical Fallacies Worksheets and Lesson Plans
Teach your grades 3-7 students about ten common logical fallacies with these engaging and easy-to-use lesson plans and worksheets.
Symbolic Logic Worksheets
Worksheets covering the basics of symbolic logic for children ages 13 and up.
Elementary School Worksheets and Lesson Plans
These lesson plans and worksheets teach students in grades 2-5 about superstitions, different perspectives, facts and opinions, the false dilemma fallacy, and probability.
Middle School Worksheets and Lesson Plans
These lesson plans and worksheets teach students in grades 5-8 about false memories, confirmation bias, Occam’s razor, the strawman fallacy, and pareidolia.
High School Worksheets and Lesson Plans
These lesson plans and worksheets teach students in grades 8-12 about critical thinking, the appeal to nature fallacy, correlation versus causation, the placebo effect, and weasel words.
Statistical Shenanigans Worksheets and Lesson Plans
These lesson plans and worksheets teach students in grades 9 and up the statistical principles they need to analyze data rationally.
Logical Fallacy Handbook
A printable handbook explaining 20 common logical fallacies with real-world examples. Recommended for teens and adults.