This document discusses the logical fallacy of false dichotomy. It provides examples of statements that present only two choices while excluding other options. These forced choices are described as logical fallacies meant to manipulate the reader into accepting one position. The document analyzes several examples of statements that may or may not constitute a false dichotomy. It encourages critical thinking about whether dichotomies presented offer a complete picture or leave out viable alternatives.

1. Logical Fallacies: False Dichotomy

2. •Free PowerPoint Version
•Slideshare.com
•Type PPT title or dean r berry

3. The False Dichotomy Fallacy
A Common Core Lesson
By
Dean Berry, Ed. D.
Gregg Berry, B. A.
Common Core Curriculum Solutions
www.commoncorecurriculum.info

4. Reading with Your Eyes and Your Brain
Skillful readers learn how to read persuasive or
opinionated text with a very critical eye. They
realize that the author’s purpose is to convince the
reader to believe what the author is saying and to
consider the arguments given as valid even if they
violate logical reasoning and lack supporting
evidence. The author’s motive may be to get the
reader to buy something, vote a certain way,
change an attitude, or behave differently.

5. • In order to avoid manipulation by the author,
good readers learn how to detect poor
reasoning and faulty arguments. They are
able to identify the various logical fallacies
such as begging the question, strawman,
overgeneralization, slippery slope, and
others. During this lesson, we will study
logical fallacies.

6. Understanding logic is very important
when reading text that is attempting
to convince you of something.

7. I believe Dr. Spock is correct. We humans
need to understand logical fallacies such as
the forced dichotomy.

8. Logical Fallacies
The False Dichotomy
•Definition: In false dichotomy, the arguer
sets up the situation so it looks like there are only
two choices. The arguer then eliminates one of
the choices as very unworkable, so it seems that
we are left with only one option: the one the
arguer wanted us to pick in the first place. But
often there are really many different options, not
just two—and if we thought about them all, we
might not be so quick to pick the one the arguer
recommends.

9. False dichotomy is a forced choice fallacy.
It must be all one way or all the other way.
No other solutions are considered. The choices
offered do not include any grey areas in between
the two choices offered.

10. The Take It or Leave It Argument

11. False Dichotomy
"All homeless people are either victims of
circumstance who deserve our help, or they're
lazy bums who have ruined their own lives."

12. The False Dichotomy
When someone asks you an either/or question—also
called a dichotomy—it's natural to choose an
answer without considering whether the question
itself makes sense. The way a question is asked
can be designed to trap the audience into selecting
the lesser of two poor solutions rather than
choosing another idea that wasn’t even offered by
the person asking the question. The False
Dichotomy takes advantage of this tendency; it's a
clever trap that is often used by politicians, news
editorials, and people arguing controversial issues.

13. Let's practice identifying
False Dichotomies
. Read the following two examples and
determine whether they're False Dichotomies.
• Tip: As you read, consider whether the
dichotomy presented in each example is
complete or incomplete. If there are other
options available besides the two that the
dichotomy is presenting, it's probably a false
dichotomy.

14. Is this a false dichotomy?
Explain Why or Why Not.
Ladies and gentlemen, we have
two choices before us; we either
give all illegal aliens amnesty or
we send them all back to their
own countries.
Go to Next Frame

15. Pair Share
Turn to your neighbor and discuss
your answer to this question.
Ladies and gentlemen, we have
two choices before us; we either
give all illegal aliens amnesty or
we send them all back to their own
countries.

16. Is this a false dichotomy?
Explain Why or Why Not.
•If you want better public schools, you
have to raise taxes. If you don't want to
raise taxes, you can't have better
schools.“
Go to Next Frame

17. Pair Share
Turn to your neighbor and discuss
your answer to this question.
If you want better public schools,
you have to raise taxes. If you
don't want to raise taxes, you
can't have better schools."

18. Is this a false dichotomy?
Explain Why or Why Not.
We are going to have a huge number of wild fires
this summer unless we do something major. We
need to cut back the dry brush, invest in more
trucks and airplanes for the fire department, use
fire retardant in dangerous areas, or keep people
out of forest areas during the fire season.

19. Pair Share
Turn to your neighbor and discuss
your answer to this question.
We are going to have a huge number of wild
fires this summer unless we do something
major. We need to cut back the dry brush,
invest in more trucks and airplanes for the fire
department, use fire retardant in dangerous
areas, or keep people out of forest areas during
the fire season.

20. Is this a false dichotomy?
Explain Why or Why Not.
• Senator Jill: "We'll have to cut education
funding this year."
Senator Bill: "Why?"
Senator Jill: "Well, either we cut the social
programs or we live with a huge deficit and
we can't live with the deficit.“
Go to Next Frame

21. Pair Share
Turn to your neighbor and discuss
your answer to this question.
Senator Jill: "We'll have to cut education
funding this year."
Senator Bill: "Why?"
Senator Jill: "Well, either we cut the social
programs or we live with a huge deficit
and we can't live with the deficit."

22. Is this a false dichotomy?
Explain Why or Why Not.
"Look, you are going to have to make up
your mind. Either you decide that you can
afford this stereo, or you decide you are
going to do without music for a while.“

23. Pair Share
Turn to your neighbor and discuss
your answer to this question.
"Look, you are going to have to make up
your mind. Either you decide that you can
afford this stereo, or you decide you are
going to do without music for a while."

24. Is this a false dichotomy?
Explain Why or Why Not.
We either have to send a large military force
to Syria with thousands of boots on the
ground, greatly increase drone strikes in
Syria, ask our military partners to send
troops along with ours, or get completely
out of the Middle East conflict.

25. Pair Share
Turn to your neighbor and discuss
your answer to this question.
We either have to send a large military force
to Syria with thousands of boots on the
ground, greatly increase drone strikes in
Syria, ask our military partners to send troops
along with ours, or get completely out of the
Middle East conflict.

26. Is this a false dichotomy?
Explain Why or Why Not.
Either we keep the terrorists in prison
for life, or if we free them there will be a
rise in terrorist activities. We don’t want
a rise in terrorist activities, so it is
better to keep the terrorists in prison.”

27. False Dichotomy Fallacy
2 min animated
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7jh5HxYfjA

28. Pair Share
Turn to your neighbor and discuss
your answer to this question.
Either we keep the terrorists in prison for
life, or if we free them there will be a rise
in terrorist activities. We don’t want a rise
in terrorist activities, so it is better to
keep the terrorists in prison.”

29. Quick Write
Think about one of the issues listed below and write an argument that
uses the false dichotomy fallacy to persuade people that they
must chose your position.
• Require all drunk drivers to go to jail when they are
convicted.
• Do not ban the sale of guns to private citizens.
• Legalize assisted suicide.
Remember to offer only two choices and make
one choice seem worse than the other.