#logicalfallacy — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #logicalfallacy, aggregated by home.social.
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If you are still on YouTube and enjoy critical-thinking analysis, it's worth viewing https://www.youtube.com/@FramingLogic
I know there are flaws, but I think it is helpful to be reminded of the logical fallacies, and cognitive biases, and rhetorical approaches that external actors are using against you.
I know I should get better at thinking slowly and analytically about some things. It's almost impossible to recognize my own cognitive biases when I'm thinking fast.
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If you are still on YouTube and enjoy critical-thinking analysis, it's worth viewing https://www.youtube.com/@FramingLogic
I know there are flaws, but I think it is helpful to be reminded of the logical fallacies, and cognitive biases, and rhetorical approaches that external actors are using against you.
I know I should get better at thinking slowly and analytically about some things. It's almost impossible to recognize my own cognitive biases when I'm thinking fast.
-
If you are still on YouTube and enjoy critical-thinking analysis, it's worth viewing https://www.youtube.com/@FramingLogic
I know there are flaws, but I think it is helpful to be reminded of the logical fallacies, and cognitive biases, and rhetorical approaches that external actors are using against you.
I know I should get better at thinking slowly and analytically about some things. It's almost impossible to recognize my own cognitive biases when I'm thinking fast.
-
If you are still on YouTube and enjoy critical-thinking analysis, it's worth viewing https://www.youtube.com/@FramingLogic
I know there are flaws, but I think it is helpful to be reminded of the logical fallacies, and cognitive biases, and rhetorical approaches that external actors are using against you.
I know I should get better at thinking slowly and analytically about some things. It's almost impossible to recognize my own cognitive biases when I'm thinking fast.
-
If you are still on YouTube and enjoy critical-thinking analysis, it's worth viewing https://www.youtube.com/@FramingLogic
I know there are flaws, but I think it is helpful to be reminded of the logical fallacies, and cognitive biases, and rhetorical approaches that external actors are using against you.
I know I should get better at thinking slowly and analytically about some things. It's almost impossible to recognize my own cognitive biases when I'm thinking fast.
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Taken on Monday, 5 January, 2026 at 13:06 with Samsung Galaxy A05s at North Wenang Sub-district, Wenang District, Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.
#sofiaflorina #ソフィアフロリナ #authority #authorities #becritical #government #governments #thegovernment #appealtoauthority #logicalfallacy #fallacy #fallacies #itstrue #itistrue #thatstrue #thatistrue #reality #thereality #provemewrong #iknowright
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Taken on Monday, 5 January, 2026 at 13:06 with Samsung Galaxy A05s at North Wenang Sub-district, Wenang District, Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.
#sofiaflorina #ソフィアフロリナ #authority #authorities #becritical #government #governments #thegovernment #appealtoauthority #logicalfallacy #fallacy #fallacies #itstrue #itistrue #thatstrue #thatistrue #reality #thereality #provemewrong #iknowright
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You know that I always try to be balanced. For example, if the government implements a good policy then I praise it and if it is bad then I criticise it. I won't follow people's words that easily, especially if they are not my friends, you know.
#sofiaflorina #ソフィアフロリナ #authority #authorities #becritical #government #governments #thegovernment #appealtoauthority #logicalfallacy #fallacy #fallacies #itstrue #itistrue #thatstrue #thatistrue #reality #thereality #provemewrong #iknowright
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You know that I always try to be balanced. For example, if the government implements a good policy then I praise it and if it is bad then I criticise it. I won't follow people's words that easily, especially if they are not my friends, you know.
#sofiaflorina #ソフィアフロリナ #authority #authorities #becritical #government #governments #thegovernment #appealtoauthority #logicalfallacy #fallacy #fallacies #itstrue #itistrue #thatstrue #thatistrue #reality #thereality #provemewrong #iknowright
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I don't care of course, whatever. My mother is like that too, although in her case it happens a lot at her workplace. Many leaders are wrong, they must be told that they are wrong, they must be criticised. One of the reasons my mother was often discriminated against, sad.
#sofiaflorina #ソフィアフロリナ #authority #authorities #becritical #government #governments #thegovernment #appealtoauthority #logicalfallacy #fallacy #fallacies #itstrue #itistrue #thatstrue #thatistrue #reality #thereality
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I don't care of course, whatever. My mother is like that too, although in her case it happens a lot at her workplace. Many leaders are wrong, they must be told that they are wrong, they must be criticised. One of the reasons my mother was often discriminated against, sad.
#sofiaflorina #ソフィアフロリナ #authority #authorities #becritical #government #governments #thegovernment #appealtoauthority #logicalfallacy #fallacy #fallacies #itstrue #itistrue #thatstrue #thatistrue #reality #thereality
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Honestly, I'm often disliked because people say I like to argue with people who other people consider influential or powerful. When I was at school, I used to argue with my teachers a lot, of course, because most of them were not so smart enough to be my teachers.
#sofiaflorina #ソフィアフロリナ #authority #authorities #becritical #government #governments #thegovernment #appealtoauthority #logicalfallacy #fallacy #fallacies #itstrue #itistrue #thatstrue #thatistrue #reality #thereality
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Honestly, I'm often disliked because people say I like to argue with people who other people consider influential or powerful. When I was at school, I used to argue with my teachers a lot, of course, because most of them were not so smart enough to be my teachers.
#sofiaflorina #ソフィアフロリナ #authority #authorities #becritical #government #governments #thegovernment #appealtoauthority #logicalfallacy #fallacy #fallacies #itstrue #itistrue #thatstrue #thatistrue #reality #thereality
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Sorry for those of you who are offended, it's the fact. Not everything that the authorities say must be accepted or obeyed at face value. It's surprising how many people can easily believe anything the government says. I mean, at least check the truth first, be critical.
#sofiaflorina #ソフィアフロリナ #authority #authorities #becritical #government #governments #thegovernment #appealtoauthority #logicalfallacy #fallacy #fallacies #itstrue #itistrue #thatstrue #thatistrue #reality #thereality
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Sorry for those of you who are offended, it's the fact. Not everything that the authorities say must be accepted or obeyed at face value. It's surprising how many people can easily believe anything the government says. I mean, at least check the truth first, be critical.
#sofiaflorina #ソフィアフロリナ #authority #authorities #becritical #government #governments #thegovernment #appealtoauthority #logicalfallacy #fallacy #fallacies #itstrue #itistrue #thatstrue #thatistrue #reality #thereality
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There are still quite a lot of people who think that whatever an authority, such as the government, says is accepted as true. Argumentum ad verecundiam or appeal to authority. Thankfully I'm not like that, especially since I'm knowledgeable and well educated.
#sofiaflorina #ソフィアフロリナ #authority #authorities #becritical #government #governments #thegovernment #appealtoauthority #logicalfallacy #fallacy #fallacies #itstrue #itistrue #thatstrue #thatistrue #reality #thereality #provemewrong
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There are still quite a lot of people who think that whatever an authority, such as the government, says is accepted as true. Argumentum ad verecundiam or appeal to authority. Thankfully I'm not like that, especially since I'm knowledgeable and well educated.
#sofiaflorina #ソフィアフロリナ #authority #authorities #becritical #government #governments #thegovernment #appealtoauthority #logicalfallacy #fallacy #fallacies #itstrue #itistrue #thatstrue #thatistrue #reality #thereality #provemewrong
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There are still quite a lot of people who think that whatever an authority, such as the government, says is accepted as true. Argumentum ad verecundiam or appeal to authority. Thankfully I'm not like that, especially since I'm knowledgeable and well educated.
#sofiaflorina #ソフィアフロリナ #authority #authorities #becritical #government #governments #thegovernment #appealtoauthority #logicalfallacy #fallacy #fallacies #itstrue #itistrue #thatstrue #thatistrue #reality #thereality #provemewrong
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There are still quite a lot of people who think that whatever an authority, such as the government, says is accepted as true. Argumentum ad verecundiam or appeal to authority. Thankfully I'm not like that, especially since I'm knowledgeable and well educated.
#sofiaflorina #ソフィアフロリナ #authority #authorities #becritical #government #governments #thegovernment #appealtoauthority #logicalfallacy #fallacy #fallacies #itstrue #itistrue #thatstrue #thatistrue #reality #thereality #provemewrong
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There are still quite a lot of people who think that whatever an authority, such as the government, says is accepted as true. Argumentum ad verecundiam or appeal to authority. Thankfully I'm not like that, especially since I'm knowledgeable and well educated.
#sofiaflorina #ソフィアフロリナ #authority #authorities #becritical #government #governments #thegovernment #appealtoauthority #logicalfallacy #fallacy #fallacies #itstrue #itistrue #thatstrue #thatistrue #reality #thereality #provemewrong
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A teacher asked students to draw a square with 3 lines. How the kids approached it was fascinating.
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I'm no media strategist, but I'm surprised how consistently we let bad-faith actors (or those whose opinions have been shaped by bad-faith actors) define the terms of the conversation across a range of topics.
Consider renewable energy and the need to move away from burning fossil fuels.
"But global warming is a hoax. We're going through a winter storm right now!"
❌ The moment you begin to respond to the "global warming" bit with facts, IPCC reports, and consensus among environmental scientists, you've lost.
Imagine the consensus we could build around ideas if we made an effort to be aware of the things that the bad-faith actors and their followers claim to value and could tap into them.
🤔 "Well, I know that you're afraid about the safety of your children, and I don't think you mean just the physical safety of kids from sexual predators. I'm sure you've been to places with terrible air quality. Would you rather your children grew up breathing fumes from vehicles and coal power plants, or would you rather they breathed clean air?"
Walls of ignorance are torn down brick by brick, and it's up to us to acknowledge the positions people claim, offer empathy, and demonstrate how proposed ideas are actually in alignment with their stated interests.
-
I'm no media strategist, but I'm surprised how consistently we let bad-faith actors (or those whose opinions have been shaped by bad-faith actors) define the terms of the conversation across a range of topics.
Consider renewable energy and the need to move away from burning fossil fuels.
"But global warming is a hoax. We're going through a winter storm right now!"
❌ The moment you begin to respond to the "global warming" bit with facts, IPCC reports, and consensus among environmental scientists, you've lost.
Imagine the consensus we could build around ideas if we made an effort to be aware of the things that the bad-faith actors and their followers claim to value and could tap into them.
🤔 "Well, I know that you're afraid about the safety of your children, and I don't think you mean just the physical safety of kids from sexual predators. I'm sure you've been to places with terrible air quality. Would you rather your children grew up breathing fumes from vehicles and coal power plants, or would you rather they breathed clean air?"
Walls of ignorance are torn down brick by brick, and it's up to us to acknowledge the positions people claim, offer empathy, and demonstrate how proposed ideas are actually in alignment with their stated interests.
-
I'm no media strategist, but I'm surprised how consistently we let bad-faith actors (or those whose opinions have been shaped by bad-faith actors) define the terms of the conversation across a range of topics.
Consider renewable energy and the need to move away from burning fossil fuels.
"But global warming is a hoax. We're going through a winter storm right now!"
❌ The moment you begin to respond to the "global warming" bit with facts, IPCC reports, and consensus among environmental scientists, you've lost.
Imagine the consensus we could build around ideas if we made an effort to be aware of the things that the bad-faith actors and their followers claim to value and could tap into them.
🤔 "Well, I know that you're afraid about the safety of your children, and I don't think you mean just the physical safety of kids from sexual predators. I'm sure you've been to places with terrible air quality. Would you rather your children grew up breathing fumes from vehicles and coal power plants, or would you rather they breathed clean air?"
Walls of ignorance are torn down brick by brick, and it's up to us to acknowledge the positions people claim, offer empathy, and demonstrate how proposed ideas are actually in alignment with their stated interests.
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First sip is a delightful mixture of citrus and tropical fruits with a mild bitterness ending it off. The weight of the fruits should not be underestimated, as they absolutely fill the mouth
#Beer #Review #LogicalFallacy #SouthernGrist #Tennessee
https://www.bfbcping.com/2025/11/southern-grist-logical-fallacy-west.html -
First sip is a delightful mixture of citrus and tropical fruits with a mild bitterness ending it off. The weight of the fruits should not be underestimated, as they absolutely fill the mouth
#Beer #Review #LogicalFallacy #SouthernGrist #Tennessee
https://www.bfbcping.com/2025/11/southern-grist-logical-fallacy-west.html -
First sip is a delightful mixture of citrus and tropical fruits with a mild bitterness ending it off. The weight of the fruits should not be underestimated, as they absolutely fill the mouth
#Beer #Review #LogicalFallacy #SouthernGrist #Tennessee
https://www.bfbcping.com/2025/11/southern-grist-logical-fallacy-west.html -
The Free Speech Fallacy occurs when someone uses the concept of free speech to deflect criticism or avoid accountability for their statements. Learn about this logical fallacy with examples:
https://www.logical-fallacy.com/articles/free-speech/
#logicalfallacy #logic #philosophy #debating #politics -
The Free Speech Fallacy occurs when someone uses the concept of free speech to deflect criticism or avoid accountability for their statements. Learn about this logical fallacy with examples:
https://www.logical-fallacy.com/articles/free-speech/
#logicalfallacy #logic #philosophy #debating #politics -
The Free Speech Fallacy occurs when someone uses the concept of free speech to deflect criticism or avoid accountability for their statements. Learn about this logical fallacy with examples:
https://www.logical-fallacy.com/articles/free-speech/
#logicalfallacy #logic #philosophy #debating #politics -
The Free Speech Fallacy occurs when someone uses the concept of free speech to deflect criticism or avoid accountability for their statements. Learn about this logical fallacy with examples:
https://www.logical-fallacy.com/articles/free-speech/
#logicalfallacy #logic #philosophy #debating #politics -
The Free Speech Fallacy occurs when someone uses the concept of free speech to deflect criticism or avoid accountability for their statements. Learn about this logical fallacy with examples:
https://www.logical-fallacy.com/articles/free-speech/
#logicalfallacy #logic #philosophy #debating #politics -
I just participated in the first W3C Authentic Web Mini Workshop¹ hosted by the Credible Web Community Group² (of which I’m a longtime member) and up front I noted that our very discussion itself needed to be careful about its own credibility, extra critical of any technologies discussed or assertions made, and initially identified two flaws to avoid on a meta level, having seen them occur many times in technical or standards discussions:
1. Politician’s Syllogism — "Something must be done about this problem. Here is something, let's do it!"
2. Solutions Looking For Problems — "I am interested in how tech X can solve problem Y"
After some back and forth and arguments in the Zoom chat, I observed participants questioning speakers of arguments rather than the arguments themselves, so I had to identify a third fallacy to avoid:
3. Ad Hominem — while obvious examples are name-calling (which is usually against codes of conduct), less obvious examples (witnessed in the meeting) include questioning a speaker’s education (or lack thereof) like what they have or have not read, or would benefit from reading.
I am blogging these here both as a reminder (should you choose to participate in such discussions), and as a resource to cite in future discussions.
We need to all develop expertise in recognizing these logical and methodological flaws & fallacies, and call them out when we see them, especially when used against others.
We need to promptly prune these flawed methods of discussion, so we can focus on actual productive, relevant, and yes, credible discussions.
#W3C #credweb #credibleWeb #authenticWeb #flaw #fallacy #fallacies #logicalFallacy #logicalFallacies
Glossary
Ad Hominem
attacking an attribute of the person making an argument rather than the argument itself
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hominem
Politician's syllogism
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politician%27s_syllogism
Solutions Looking For Problems (related: #solutionism, #solutioneering)
Promoting a technology that either has not identified a real problem for it to solve, or actively pitching a specific technology to any problem that seems related. Wikipedia has no page on this but has two related pages:
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_the_instrument
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological_fix
Wikipedia does have an essay on this specific to Wikipedia:
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Solutions_looking_for_a_problem
Stack Exchange has a thread on "solution in search of a problem":
* https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/250320/a-word-that-means-a-solution-in-search-of-a-problem
Forbes has an illustrative anecdote:
* https://www.forbes.com/sites/stephanieburns/2019/05/28/solution-looking-for-a-problem/
References
¹ https://www.w3.org/events/workshops/2025/authentic-web-workshop/
² https://credweb.org/ and https://www.w3.org/community/credibility/
Previously in 2019 I participated in #MisinfoCon:
* https://tantek.com/2019/296/t1/london-misinfocon-discuss-spectrum-recency
* https://tantek.com/2019/296/t2/misinfocon-roundtable-spectrums-misinformation -
"False Dichotomy": Answers In Reason
https://www.tiktok.com/@answersinreason/video/7175918490019269894
- erm no it's not. this person doesn't know what a dichotomy is let alone a false one.
#Philosophy #Logic #LogicalFallacy #Fallacies #InformalFallacies #FalseDichotomy
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I just participated in the first W3C Authentic Web Mini Workshop¹ hosted by the Credible Web Community Group² (of which I’m a longtime member) and up front I noted that our very discussion itself needed to be careful about its own credibility, extra critical of any technologies discussed or assertions made, and initially identified two flaws to avoid on a meta level, having seen them occur many times in technical or standards discussions:
1. Politician’s Syllogism — "Something must be done about this problem. Here is something, let's do it!"
2. Solutions Looking For Problems — "I am interested in how tech X can solve problem Y"
After some back and forth and arguments in the Zoom chat, I observed participants questioning speakers of arguments rather than the arguments themselves, so I had to identify a third fallacy to avoid:
3. Ad Hominem — while obvious examples are name-calling (which is usually against codes of conduct), less obvious examples (witnessed in the meeting) include questioning a speaker’s education (or lack thereof) like what they have or have not read, or would benefit from reading.
I am blogging these here both as a reminder (should you choose to participate in such discussions), and as a resource to cite in future discussions.
We need to all develop expertise in recognizing these logical and methodological flaws & fallacies, and call them out when we see them, especially when used against others.
We need to promptly prune these flawed methods of discussion, so we can focus on actual productive, relevant, and yes, credible discussions.
#W3C #credweb #credibleWeb #authenticWeb #flaw #fallacy #fallacies #logicalFallacy #logicalFallacies
Glossary
Ad Hominem
attacking an attribute of the person making an argument rather than the argument itself
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hominem
Politician's syllogism
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politician%27s_syllogism
Solutions Looking For Problems (related: #solutionism, #solutioneering)
Promoting a technology that either has not identified a real problem for it to solve, or actively pitching a specific technology to any problem that seems related. Wikipedia has no page on this but has two related pages:
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_the_instrument
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological_fix
Wikipedia does have an essay on this specific to Wikipedia:
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Solutions_looking_for_a_problem
Stack Exchange has a thread on "solution in search of a problem":
* https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/250320/a-word-that-means-a-solution-in-search-of-a-problem
Forbes has an illustrative anecdote:
* https://www.forbes.com/sites/stephanieburns/2019/05/28/solution-looking-for-a-problem/
References
¹ https://www.w3.org/events/workshops/2025/authentic-web-workshop/
² https://credweb.org/ and https://www.w3.org/community/credibility/
Previously in 2019 I participated in #MisinfoCon:
* https://tantek.com/2019/296/t1/london-misinfocon-discuss-spectrum-recency
* https://tantek.com/2019/296/t2/misinfocon-roundtable-spectrums-misinformation -
I just participated in the first W3C Authentic Web Mini Workshop¹ hosted by the Credible Web Community Group² (of which I’m a longtime member) and up front I noted that our very discussion itself needed to be careful about its own credibility, extra critical of any technologies discussed or assertions made, and initially identified two flaws to avoid on a meta level, having seen them occur many times in technical or standards discussions:
1. Politician’s Syllogism — "Something must be done about this problem. Here is something, let's do it!"
2. Solutions Looking For Problems — "I am interested in how tech X can solve problem Y"
After some back and forth and arguments in the Zoom chat, I observed participants questioning speakers of arguments rather than the arguments themselves, so I had to identify a third fallacy to avoid:
3. Ad Hominem — while obvious examples are name-calling (which is usually against codes of conduct), less obvious examples (witnessed in the meeting) include questioning a speaker’s education (or lack thereof) like what they have or have not read, or would benefit from reading.
I am blogging these here both as a reminder (should you choose to participate in such discussions), and as a resource to cite in future discussions.
We need to all develop expertise in recognizing these logical and methodological flaws & fallacies, and call them out when we see them, especially when used against others.
We need to promptly prune these flawed methods of discussion, so we can focus on actual productive, relevant, and yes, credible discussions.
#W3C #credweb #credibleWeb #authenticWeb #flaw #fallacy #fallacies #logicalFallacy #logicalFallacies
Glossary
Ad Hominem
attacking an attribute of the person making an argument rather than the argument itself
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hominem
Politician's syllogism
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politician%27s_syllogism
Solutions Looking For Problems (related: #solutionism, #solutioneering)
Promoting a technology that either has not identified a real problem for it to solve, or actively pitching a specific technology to any problem that seems related. Wikipedia has no page on this but has two related pages:
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_the_instrument
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological_fix
Wikipedia does have an essay on this specific to Wikipedia:
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Solutions_looking_for_a_problem
Stack Exchange has a thread on "solution in search of a problem":
* https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/250320/a-word-that-means-a-solution-in-search-of-a-problem
Forbes has an illustrative anecdote:
* https://www.forbes.com/sites/stephanieburns/2019/05/28/solution-looking-for-a-problem/
References
¹ https://www.w3.org/events/workshops/2025/authentic-web-workshop/
² https://credweb.org/ and https://www.w3.org/community/credibility/
Previously in 2019 I participated in #MisinfoCon:
* https://tantek.com/2019/296/t1/london-misinfocon-discuss-spectrum-recency
* https://tantek.com/2019/296/t2/misinfocon-roundtable-spectrums-misinformation -
I just participated in the first W3C Authentic Web Mini Workshop¹ hosted by the Credible Web Community Group² (of which I’m a longtime member) and up front I noted that our very discussion itself needed to be careful about its own credibility, extra critical of any technologies discussed or assertions made, and initially identified two flaws to avoid on a meta level, having seen them occur many times in technical or standards discussions:
1. Politician’s Syllogism — "Something must be done about this problem. Here is something, let's do it!"
2. Solutions Looking For Problems — "I am interested in how tech X can solve problem Y"
After some back and forth and arguments in the Zoom chat, I observed participants questioning speakers of arguments rather than the arguments themselves, so I had to identify a third fallacy to avoid:
3. Ad Hominem — while obvious examples are name-calling (which is usually against codes of conduct), less obvious examples (witnessed in the meeting) include questioning a speaker’s education (or lack thereof) like what they have or have not read, or would benefit from reading.
I am blogging these here both as a reminder (should you choose to participate in such discussions), and as a resource to cite in future discussions.
We need to all develop expertise in recognizing these logical and methodological flaws & fallacies, and call them out when we see them, especially when used against others.
We need to promptly prune these flawed methods of discussion, so we can focus on actual productive, relevant, and yes, credible discussions.
#W3C #credweb #credibleWeb #authenticWeb #flaw #fallacy #fallacies #logicalFallacy #logicalFallacies
Glossary
Ad Hominem
attacking an attribute of the person making an argument rather than the argument itself
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hominem
Politician's syllogism
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politician%27s_syllogism
Solutions Looking For Problems (related: #solutionism, #solutioneering)
Promoting a technology that either has not identified a real problem for it to solve, or actively pitching a specific technology to any problem that seems related. Wikipedia has no page on this but has two related pages:
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_the_instrument
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological_fix
Wikipedia does have an essay on this specific to Wikipedia:
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Solutions_looking_for_a_problem
Stack Exchange has a thread on "solution in search of a problem":
* https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/250320/a-word-that-means-a-solution-in-search-of-a-problem
Forbes has an illustrative anecdote:
* https://www.forbes.com/sites/stephanieburns/2019/05/28/solution-looking-for-a-problem/
References
¹ https://www.w3.org/events/workshops/2025/authentic-web-workshop/
² https://credweb.org/ and https://www.w3.org/community/credibility/
Previously in 2019 I participated in #MisinfoCon:
* https://tantek.com/2019/296/t1/london-misinfocon-discuss-spectrum-recency
* https://tantek.com/2019/296/t2/misinfocon-roundtable-spectrums-misinformation -
I just participated in the first W3C Authentic Web Mini Workshop¹ hosted by the Credible Web Community Group² (of which I’m a longtime member) and up front I noted that our very discussion itself needed to be careful about its own credibility, extra critical of any technologies discussed or assertions made, and initially identified two flaws to avoid on a meta level, having seen them occur many times in technical or standards discussions:
1. Politician’s Syllogism — "Something must be done about this problem. Here is something, let's do it!"
2. Solutions Looking For Problems — "I am interested in how tech X can solve problem Y"
After some back and forth and arguments in the Zoom chat, I observed participants questioning speakers of arguments rather than the arguments themselves, so I had to identify a third fallacy to avoid:
3. Ad Hominem — while obvious examples are name-calling (which is usually against codes of conduct), less obvious examples (witnessed in the meeting) include questioning a speaker’s education (or lack thereof) like what they have or have not read, or would benefit from reading.
I am blogging these here both as a reminder (should you choose to participate in such discussions), and as a resource to cite in future discussions.
We need to all develop expertise in recognizing these logical and methodological flaws & fallacies, and call them out when we see them, especially when used against others.
We need to promptly prune these flawed methods of discussion, so we can focus on actual productive, relevant, and yes, credible discussions.
#W3C #credweb #credibleWeb #authenticWeb #flaw #fallacy #fallacies #logicalFallacy #logicalFallacies
Glossary
Ad Hominem
attacking an attribute of the person making an argument rather than the argument itself
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hominem
Politician's syllogism
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politician%27s_syllogism
Solutions Looking For Problems (related: #solutionism, #solutioneering)
Promoting a technology that either has not identified a real problem for it to solve, or actively pitching a specific technology to any problem that seems related. Wikipedia has no page on this but has two related pages:
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_the_instrument
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological_fix
Wikipedia does have an essay on this specific to Wikipedia:
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Solutions_looking_for_a_problem
Stack Exchange has a thread on "solution in search of a problem":
* https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/250320/a-word-that-means-a-solution-in-search-of-a-problem
Forbes has an illustrative anecdote:
* https://www.forbes.com/sites/stephanieburns/2019/05/28/solution-looking-for-a-problem/
References
¹ https://www.w3.org/events/workshops/2025/authentic-web-workshop/
² https://credweb.org/ and https://www.w3.org/community/credibility/
Previously in 2019 I participated in #MisinfoCon:
* https://tantek.com/2019/296/t1/london-misinfocon-discuss-spectrum-recency
* https://tantek.com/2019/296/t2/misinfocon-roundtable-spectrums-misinformation -
"Very important to vote Republican ... to prevent voting fraud." -- Elon Musk
This is the worst kind of relevance fallacy. NEVER infer towards an unknown. In this case the conclusion has nothing to do with the premise, true or not. It's a clever lie told by a clever liar.
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New Portuguese-Language pages created on #RationalWiki in July:
#Português #PortugueseApelo à fé #appealtofaith #logicalfallacy #FaláciaLógica
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Apelo_%C3%A0_f%C3%A9#TDK (acrônimo para Tirei Do Ku) #PIDOOMA
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/TDKViés de sobrevivência #survivorshipbias
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Vi%C3%A9s_de_sobreviv%C3%AAnciaViés de seleção #selectionbias
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Vi%C3%A9s_de_sele%C3%A7%C3%A3oEvidência suprimida #cherrypicking
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Evid%C3%AAncia_suprimidaFalácia do holofote #spotlightfallacy
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Fal%C3%A1cia_do_holofoteTeoria da cegueira deliberada #willfulignorance #denialism
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Teoria_da_cegueira_deliberadaPost hoc, ergo propter hoc #posthocergopropterhoc
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Post_hoc,_ergo_propter_hoc_(portugu%C3%AAs)Superstição #Superstition
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Supersti%C3%A7%C3%A3o -
The #WashingtonPost opinion columnist Eugene Robinson expresses well the (intended) confusion caused by the #LogicalFallacy called #Equivocation: “Now we know, apparently, that Trump and the MAGA base don’t mean the Tuskegee Airmen when they excoriate DEI. But exactly what do they mean?”
This shows a #CriticalQuestion to ask before believing someone. “What do they mean?”
From: What the Air Force’s Tuskegee Airmen mishap reveals about Trump’s DEI war https://wapo.st/4hazEH7
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Remember that Lemm.ee post I posted about 2 days ago that got brigaded to hell by the toxic tankie troll instance hexbear.net? well, it’s still ongoing because, of course, they’re sociopaths that just can’t stop inflicting their hate and hurt upon their victims. One user just had enough and compiled a list of hexbear posts that proves who these users really are. (CW/TW)
https://lemm.ee/comment/2443771
#lemmy #lemmee #hexbear #trolls #toxic #shitshow #hate #tankies #bullying #logicalfallacy #crybully
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Admin of Lemmy instance lemm.ee contemplates defederating from toxic tankie troll instance hexbear.net in community post open for discussion to lemm.ee users.
hexbear users promptly brigade post, heavily trolling any- and everyone who says anything they don’t like for 24 hours, quickly proving every criticism of them true in massive shitshow of bullying and toxicity.
#lemmy #lemmee #hexbear #trolls #toxic #shitshow #hate #tankies #bullying #logicalfallacy #crybully
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New Portuguese-Language pages created on #RationalWiki in July:
#Português #PortugueseApelo à fé #appealtofaith #logicalfallacy #FaláciaLógica
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Apelo_%C3%A0_f%C3%A9#TDK (acrônimo para Tirei Do Ku) #PIDOOMA
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/TDKViés de sobrevivência #survivorshipbias
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Vi%C3%A9s_de_sobreviv%C3%AAnciaViés de seleção #selectionbias
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Vi%C3%A9s_de_sele%C3%A7%C3%A3oEvidência suprimida #cherrypicking
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Evid%C3%AAncia_suprimidaFalácia do holofote #spotlightfallacy
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Fal%C3%A1cia_do_holofoteTeoria da cegueira deliberada #willfulignorance #denialism
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Teoria_da_cegueira_deliberadaPost hoc, ergo propter hoc #posthocergopropterhoc
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Post_hoc,_ergo_propter_hoc_(portugu%C3%AAs)Superstição #Superstition
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Supersti%C3%A7%C3%A3o -
New Portuguese-Language pages created on #RationalWiki in July:
#Português #PortugueseApelo à fé #appealtofaith #logicalfallacy #FaláciaLógica
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Apelo_%C3%A0_f%C3%A9#TDK (acrônimo para Tirei Do Ku) #PIDOOMA
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/TDKViés de sobrevivência #survivorshipbias
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Vi%C3%A9s_de_sobreviv%C3%AAnciaViés de seleção #selectionbias
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Vi%C3%A9s_de_sele%C3%A7%C3%A3oEvidência suprimida #cherrypicking
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Evid%C3%AAncia_suprimidaFalácia do holofote #spotlightfallacy
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Fal%C3%A1cia_do_holofoteTeoria da cegueira deliberada #willfulignorance #denialism
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Teoria_da_cegueira_deliberadaPost hoc, ergo propter hoc #posthocergopropterhoc
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Post_hoc,_ergo_propter_hoc_(portugu%C3%AAs)Superstição #Superstition
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Supersti%C3%A7%C3%A3o -
New Portuguese-Language pages created on #RationalWiki in July:
#Português #PortugueseApelo à fé #appealtofaith #logicalfallacy #FaláciaLógica
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Apelo_%C3%A0_f%C3%A9#TDK (acrônimo para Tirei Do Ku) #PIDOOMA
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/TDKViés de sobrevivência #survivorshipbias
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Vi%C3%A9s_de_sobreviv%C3%AAnciaViés de seleção #selectionbias
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Vi%C3%A9s_de_sele%C3%A7%C3%A3oEvidência suprimida #cherrypicking
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Evid%C3%AAncia_suprimidaFalácia do holofote #spotlightfallacy
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Fal%C3%A1cia_do_holofoteTeoria da cegueira deliberada #willfulignorance #denialism
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Teoria_da_cegueira_deliberadaPost hoc, ergo propter hoc #posthocergopropterhoc
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Post_hoc,_ergo_propter_hoc_(portugu%C3%AAs)Superstição #Superstition
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Supersti%C3%A7%C3%A3o -
New Portuguese-Language pages created on #RationalWiki in July:
#Português #PortugueseApelo à fé #appealtofaith #logicalfallacy #FaláciaLógica
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Apelo_%C3%A0_f%C3%A9#TDK (acrônimo para Tirei Do Ku) #PIDOOMA
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/TDKViés de sobrevivência #survivorshipbias
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Vi%C3%A9s_de_sobreviv%C3%AAnciaViés de seleção #selectionbias
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Vi%C3%A9s_de_sele%C3%A7%C3%A3oEvidência suprimida #cherrypicking
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Evid%C3%AAncia_suprimidaFalácia do holofote #spotlightfallacy
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Fal%C3%A1cia_do_holofoteTeoria da cegueira deliberada #willfulignorance #denialism
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Teoria_da_cegueira_deliberadaPost hoc, ergo propter hoc #posthocergopropterhoc
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Post_hoc,_ergo_propter_hoc_(portugu%C3%AAs)Superstição #Superstition
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Supersti%C3%A7%C3%A3o -
The #WashingtonPost opinion columnist Eugene Robinson expresses well the (intended) confusion caused by the #LogicalFallacy called #Equivocation: “Now we know, apparently, that Trump and the MAGA base don’t mean the Tuskegee Airmen when they excoriate DEI. But exactly what do they mean?”
This shows a #CriticalQuestion to ask before believing someone. “What do they mean?”
From: What the Air Force’s Tuskegee Airmen mishap reveals about Trump’s DEI war https://wapo.st/4hazEH7
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The #WashingtonPost opinion columnist Eugene Robinson expresses well the (intended) confusion caused by the #LogicalFallacy called #Equivocation: “Now we know, apparently, that Trump and the MAGA base don’t mean the Tuskegee Airmen when they excoriate DEI. But exactly what do they mean?”
This shows a #CriticalQuestion to ask before believing someone. “What do they mean?”
From: What the Air Force’s Tuskegee Airmen mishap reveals about Trump’s DEI war https://wapo.st/4hazEH7
-
The #WashingtonPost opinion columnist Eugene Robinson expresses well the (intended) confusion caused by the #LogicalFallacy called #Equivocation: “Now we know, apparently, that Trump and the MAGA base don’t mean the Tuskegee Airmen when they excoriate DEI. But exactly what do they mean?”
This shows a #CriticalQuestion to ask before believing someone. “What do they mean?”
From: What the Air Force’s Tuskegee Airmen mishap reveals about Trump’s DEI war https://wapo.st/4hazEH7