Alleged Certainty Fallacy: When Debatable Things Are Portrayed as Certain [#FallacyFridays]
Welcome to #FallacyFridays! Every Friday, I post a logical fallacy, or flaw in reasoning, that we should avoid making. But no matter what day of the week you read this post, I trust it’ll be beneficial to your thought life. Today’s logical fallacy is the alleged certainty fallacy. Make sure to read all the way to the end so you can take the quiz to test your understanding of the fallacy. 🤓
But before we get into it, I want you to know about a tool that may help you understand this and other fallacies. I know that some people learn better by writing or typing. If that is you, download this FREE digital copy of “#FallacyFridays: The Workbook.” It was designed to follow alongside #FallacyFridays lessons in order for you to better understand logical fallacies.
What is the Alleged Certainty Fallacy?
The name hints to how to the fallacy works. Someone makes a claim, asserting that is true without giving reasons why it is true. The conclusion they draw is final according to them, often accompanied by the statement “everyone knows that,” etc.
The alleged certainty fallacy occurs when a person claims that something is certain when it’s actually up for debate. This individual does not bother to bring in evidence or reasons that justify their claim.
Examples of the Alleged Certainty Fallacy
We’re all indebted to our mothers. Everyone knows this.
Everyone knows that corporal punishment is the best use of discipline in children.
It’s not a debate that the sciences are the most important field in academia.
💡 Key Point: Note how each of these examples make absolute statements about things that, in reality, are up for debate. It’s likely that these people are making these claims so confidently because they’re surrounded by a people or culture in which these ideas are commonly held. But just because they are typical in your social, ideological, or cultural sphere does not mean it is typical or everyone single human. Neither does it mean that they are not up for debate.
We are more likely to present debatable ideas as absolute and not backed by a reason when we are surrounded by many people who think the same way as we do. Click To TweetQuiz Time!
Now that you’ve learned about the alleged certainty fallacy, here’s a quiz to test your understanding. Which one of the following answer choices contains the alleged certainty fallacy?
A. Water is made up of two hydrogen molecules and one oxygen molecule. This is a fact.
B. Communication is a two-way street. One person speaks with their audience in mind while their audience listens to understand.
C. Satan is evil because he was (and continues to be) disobedient to the will of God.
D. Working from home is the best form of employment. This is a fact.
Enter your answer choice below! 👇🏾
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