How To Argue With Me Better
A Short Guide To Common Logical Fallacies
I get a lot of comments on this blog. Some are excellent. Some are… enthusiastic.
This post is for the enthusiastic ones. Most of the … enthusiasm … involves logical fallacies to try and win the argument. I don’t mind swatting down logical fallacies, but it would be more fun to engage with solid logic and reasoning, don’t you think?
Below is a chart of the logical fallacies I see most often in online debate — especially in comment sections under political, historical, or cultural pieces.
A few quick notes:
Straw Man and Ad Hominem are the undisputed champions.
Whataboutism is the eternal champion of deflection.
No True Scotsman has a permanent residency in ideological debates.
False Equivalence is particularly popular in certain libertarian circles.
You don’t have to argue with me. But if you do decide to throw down in the comments, at least bring your A-game. I promise to try to do the same. And by A-game, I mean making a rational argument, supporting it, and avoiding logic traps and fallacies. :-)
What’s your favorite (or least favorite) fallacy you see online? Drop it in the comments.