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Philosophy vocabulary · Fallacies

False dilemma

Meaning in philosophy, with examples

nounCommon term

In philosophy, false dilemma means: A fallacy that presents only two options as if they were the only possibilities, when in fact other options exist.

In Turkish: yanlış ikilem, sahte ikilem

How it is used

Also called a false dichotomy or the either-or fallacy. Typical in speeches and advertising (you're either with us or against us). To answer it, point to a third option or a middle ground.

Example sentences

  1. 'Either we ban all cars or the city will choke' is a false dilemma.

  2. Your essay sets up a false dilemma between pure reason and pure experience.

Common collocations

  • false dichotomy
  • either-or fallacy
  • set up a false dilemma
  • a third option
  • fallacyA common error in reasoning that makes an argument look convincing even though its premises do not properly support its conclusion.
  • slippery slopeAn argument claiming that one small step will inevitably lead to a chain of events ending in disaster; it is a fallacy when the chain is not supported.
  • straw manA fallacy in which someone presents an opponent's view as weaker or more extreme than it really is and then attacks that easier version.
  • red herringAn irrelevant point brought into a discussion, deliberately or not, that draws attention away from the real issue.

More terms: Fallacies

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