Argument Tactics Often Used by Conservatives in Debates with Liberals
-
-
Appeal to Individual Responsibility
-
-
Example: Emphasizing personal accountability in arguments about economic or social issues, like poverty or education.
-
Fallacy Risk: Oversimplification – Ignoring complex societal factors that contribute to individual circumstances.
-
-
-
Reliance on Tradition or Stability
-
-
Example: Arguing that long-standing practices are beneficial or “tested by time” (e.g., traditional family structures).
-
Fallacy Risk: Appeal to Tradition – Assuming that tradition is inherently valuable without addressing why it may need updating.
-
-
-
Moral Absolutism
-
-
Example: Positioning some issues (e.g., abortion) as absolute moral or ethical matters.
-
Fallacy Risk: False Dichotomy – Framing complex issues as strictly right or wrong, limiting nuanced discussion.
-
-
-
Emphasis on Practicality and Cost
-
-
Example: Arguing that liberal policies (e.g., welfare programs) are impractical or too costly.
-
Fallacy Risk: Slippery Slope – Suggesting that one policy will lead to financial collapse without evidence for such extreme outcomes.
-
-
-
Reference to “Common Sense”
-
-
Example: Using “common sense” as a basis for certain positions, like the benefits of free-market policies.
-
Fallacy Risk: Appeal to Common Sense – Dismissing complex counterarguments as lacking “common sense” rather than addressing their content.
-
-
-
Invoking Freedom and Individual Liberty
-
-
Example: Defending personal freedom as a foundational principle against government regulation or intervention.
-
Fallacy Risk: Red Herring – Redirecting a specific policy debate to a broader argument about freedom without addressing the policy’s merits.
-
-
-
Criticizing Government Inefficiency
-
-
Example: Pointing out inefficiencies in government-run programs as evidence that similar policies will fail.
-
Fallacy Risk: Hasty Generalization – Assuming all government programs are inherently inefficient based on specific examples.
-
-
-
Ad Hominem on “Elitism” or “Out-of-Touch”
-
-
Example: Arguing that liberal ideas are “elitist” or “out of touch with reality.”
-
Fallacy Risk: Ad Hominem – Attacking the background or lifestyle of the person rather than addressing their ideas.
-
-
-
Highlighting Negative Outcomes in Other Countries
-
-
Example: Using examples from countries with socialist policies to argue against similar reforms.
-
Fallacy Risk: False Analogy – Comparing different contexts without accounting for unique circumstances.
-
-
-
Reliance on Anecdotal Evidence
-
-
Example: Sharing personal stories to make broader points about issues like welfare dependency or immigration.
-
Fallacy Risk: Anecdotal Fallacy – Overgeneralizing based on isolated examples rather than statistically significant data.
-
-
-