|
||
Definition:
The genetic fallacy is an informal fallacy which is committed in two situations:
first, whenever someone argues that because something started out with certain
qualities, then it must continue to have those qualities; second, that because
something currently has certain qualities, then it must have started out with those
qualities.
An example of the first would be in someone arguing that someone must now, currently, be suspected as a communist sympathizer because they were once, as a student, attended a meeting of communists. An example of the second would be in someone arguing that if someone is now producing shoddy research, then all the of research they have also done must be dismissed.
Also Known As: none
Alternate Spellings: none
Common Misspellings: none
Related Resources:
What is the Logic and the Philosophy of Language?
The two fields Logic and the Philosophy of Language are often treated separately, but they are nevertheless close enough that they are presented together here. Logic is the study of methods of reasoning and argumentation, both proper and improper. The Philosophy of Language, on the other hand, involves the study of how our language interacts with our thinking.What is Philosophy?
What is philosophy? Is there any point in studying philosophy, or is it a useless subject? What are the different branches of philosophy - what's the difference between aestheitcs and ethics? What's the difference between metaphysics and epistemology?
