In which Wolf opens day 6's door... Watch this episode on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/QmJ-kp8iBbo
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 6: "No True Scotsman"
You've probably heard of "Moving the goalposts." This is a fallacy where someone shifts their definition of a concept or term to make it harder for another person to make their point. A specific kind of moving the goalposts is called the No True Scotsman fallacy, and it's surprisingly common. It sounds something like this:
"No Scotsman puts sugar on his porridge."
"But my uncle Angus is Scottish, and he puts sugar on his porridge."
"Ah, but no true Scotsman puts sugar on their porridge."
(In fact, it's generally accepted that many Scots do prefer to eat porridge without sugar, but there are others who enjoy it with a little bit of sweetener.)
You're likely to see people use the No True Scotsman fallacy when they are attempting to protect their own opinion or world view from being challenged. For example, feminists who advocate for the right of women to choose the traditional roles of wife and homemaker are often decried as "not true feminists." You'll also hear vegetarians claiming that "true" vegetarians don't eat milk or eggs. And you'll frequently hear people of all political stripes making their tent smaller and smaller; only big enough to accommodate people who hold to their "true" ideology.
Learn to recognize when someone is using the No True Scotsman fallacy. You can ask them to explain how they are defining the group, and question whether their definition is accurate or comprehensive. Try to keep an open dialogue, as this type of conversation can lead to greater understanding, and perhaps even instill a little healthy doubt.
Happy Holidays!