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Philosophy vocabulary · Fallacies

Slippery slope

Meaning in philosophy, with examples

nounCommon term

In philosophy, slippery slope means: An 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.

In Turkish: kaygan zemin safsatası, kaygan zemin argümanı

How it is used

Common in applied ethics debates about euthanasia, genetic engineering or free speech. Not every slippery slope argument is fallacious: it can be fair if each step is shown to be likely. You make, use or reject a slippery slope argument.

Example sentences

  1. Allowing one exception won't necessarily lead to chaos; that's a slippery slope.

  2. The essay examines the slippery slope argument against voluntary euthanasia.

Common collocations

  • slippery slope argument
  • slippery slope fallacy
  • a slippery slope to
  • on a slippery slope
  • fallacyA common error in reasoning that makes an argument look convincing even though its premises do not properly support its conclusion.
  • false dilemmaA fallacy that presents only two options as if they were the only possibilities, when in fact other options exist.
  • hasty generalizationA fallacy of drawing a general conclusion from too few cases or from cases that are not representative.
  • objectionA reason given against a claim, theory or argument, suggesting that it may be false, unclear or badly supported.

More terms: Fallacies

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