Winning Discussions: No True Scotsman (Effective Pirating)

February 2, 2015 · by Andrew Reitemeyer · in Learning (tips&tricks)

Logical fallacies are techniques that people use to make an argument appear convincing even when it is wrong. Learning how to identify and refute logical fallacies is one of the best ways to win in a discussion. Catching an opponent committing a fallacy will force him to retract his error or he will appear foolish or manipulative to his audience. There is a dark side to this. Once you learn to identify logical fallacies you will also be able to use them. Do not deliberately use them against fellow Pirates; it is extreme bad manners and you will most probably be caught out.

The Logical Fallacy – No True Scotsman

This fallacy is used by people who get a valid counter claim to their argument especially in response to a generalisation. The name of the fallacy comes from a book by Antony Flew called Thinking About Thinking. He wrote

Imagine Hamish McDonald, a Scotsman, sitting down with his Glasgow Morning Herald and seeing an article about how the “Brighton Sex Maniac Strikes Again”. Hamish is shocked and declares that “No Scotsman would do such a thing”. The next day he sits down to read his Glasgow Morning Herald again; and, this time, finds an article about an Aberdeen man whose brutal actions make the Brighton sex maniac seem almost gentlemanly. This fact shows that Hamish was wrong in his opinion but is he going to admit this? Not likely. This time he says, “No true Scotsman would do such a thing”.

It can also be more subtle than this. Words like ‘unchristian’, ‘unamerican’, ‘not British’ or ‘inhuman’ are often used to distance one from a particular subject.

Examples:

Christians are not gay. John is a Christian and is openly gay. John is not a true Christian.

The Tea Party phrase ‘Republican in name only’ (RINO).

True atheists don’t believe in ghosts.

A real Pirate would campaign for charter schools.

………………………

You can read more about the No True Scotsman logical fallacy in a wikipedia post and logical fallacies in general in this wikipedia article.
Remember that just because someone commits a logical fallacy it does not mean their argument is necessarily incorrect. If you have the time and resources then use the principles of scepticism to test their reasoning objectively.

This article is a part of a series called Effective Pirating:

Featured image: CC BY-SA JFPerry

http://io9.com/5974468/the-most-common-cognitive-biases-that-prevent-you-from-being-rational

About Andrew Reitemeyer

I joined the Pirate Party of Lower Saxony in Germany in April 2012, once I found out that non citizens were welcome to join and become active members of the Party.
I joined the Pirate Times soon after it was started as a proof reader and am now an editor and author. Since then I have returned to my native New Zealand and joined the Pirate Party of New Zealand.
Politically I come from the libertarian left and have, up to now, not regarded any political party as having a solution for the democratic deficit that envelops the world. With the advent of the Pirate Party, which truly embraces grass roots democracy, I have found a political home. The Pirate Times is a way I can contribute to furthering the Pirate Movement around the world.
Skype: frithogar

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Tags: Democracy, Fallacy

- Anders S Lindbäck
  
  “True atheists don’t believe in ghosts.”
  
  That’s not a good example. The definition of Atheists are people who don’t believe.

- Anders S Lindbäck
  
  “Atheism”.
  “Critique and denial of metaphysical beliefs in God or divine beings. Unlike agnosticism, which leaves open the question of whether there is a God, atheism is a positive denial. ”
  
  — Encyclopædia Britannica Concise. Merriam Webster.