In which Wolf opens day 14's door... Watch this episode on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/NNyh8JBIvXU
Welcome to the Beware of Wolf Advent Calendar of Bad Thinking. To celebrate the holidays, I'm counting down the days until Christmas with a common type of bad thinking each day, described in 60 seconds. This holiday season, give the gift of good thinking by sharing these videos with your friends!
Today is Day 14: "The Genetic Fallacy"
You've probably heard politicians say something like this: "The fossil fuel industry has gotten away with murder for centuries, profiting off of colonial extraction and exploitation of the environment and people around the world. No matter how 'clean' they claim to be, they are unreliable and untrustworthy sources of energy."
No matter what you think about history, climate change, or the oil industry, you need to know what's wrong with statements like this: they commit what's known as the "genetic fallacy." It's called that because it's like blaming someone's actions on their ancestors-- on their genetics. It focuses on something's origin or history, rather than its current meaning.
The example I gave is making the argument that the fossil fuel industry is untrustworthy and unreliable based solely on its history and origins. You might reasonably criticize the oil industry by presenting facts and evidence about its current practices, documenting environmental damage caused by its operations, or quantifying the number of workers currently being harmed by its policies.
People who use the genetic fallacy ultimately weaken their own arguments by basing their argument on irrelevant historical information, rather than the facts and evidence of the present. And if they can't come up with present facts and evidence to make their argument, then there's more reason to think that their conclusions might not be standing on solid ground.
Happy Holidays!