False dichotomies and other fallacies RPGers use

[Fifth Element]

Yes, but more broadly. This could apply to any respected figure, too.

Oh, of course. Gygax is just a common example.

 

[Raven Crowking]

Appeal to anecdote: "I say it happens at my table, therefore you must accept it as true despite your experience to the contrary". (Relates to appeal to authority, where anyone who is speaking claims said authority.)

Wounded Pride: "You did not accept my anecdote as trumping your experience, therefore you are insulting me."

Wounding Pride: "You did not accept my anecdote as trumping your experience, therefore you are unbelievably arrogant."


RC

 

[Fifth Element]

Of course, it'd be nice if more people actually understood what ad hominem means. (It's not a synonym for saying something mean, folks.)

No, but it is saying something mean in place of presenting an actual argument. Attacking the speaker rather than the argument.

"That playstyle is perfectly fine for namby-pamby amateur theatre types", for example, would be an ad hominem in response to someone arguing that his preferred playstyle is just as valid as another.

 

[Fifth Element]

Appeal to anecdote: "I say it happens at my table, therefore you must accept it as true despite your experience to the contrary".

How would this be different from "I say my experience is this, therefore you must accept it as true despite your experience to the contrary?"

 

[Raven Crowking]

How would this be different from "I say my experience is this, therefore you must accept it as true despite your experience to the contrary?"

Sorry, was I beaten to the punch on this particular fallacy?

 

[Fifth Element]

Sorry, was I beaten to the punch on this particular fallacy?

So it's not different then?

 

[pawsplay]

The Slippery Slope Fallacy Fallacy: Thinking the slippery slope is a fallacy.

Reductio Ad Absurdum Fallacy: Thinking that pointing out extreme examples that produce ridiculous results is a fallacy, rather than a reason for caution concerning the underlying logic... Also known as the Well Of Course You Can Come up With a Ridiculous Example If you Want to, That Doesn't Mean My Logic is Ridiculous Because It Necessarily Generates That Result Fallacy.

 

[guivre]

No, but it is saying something mean in place of presenting an actual argument. Attacking the speaker rather than the argument.

.

Not quite correct. Ad hominem arguments can involve insults, but "saying something mean" is not a necessity.

Ad hominem is often incorrectly equated to a personal attack, which is false.

 

[Fifth Element]

Not quite correct. Ad hominem arguments can involve insults, but "saying something mean" is not a necessity.

Sure, I was just using Jeff Wilder's words there. Ad hominem arguments, especially on the internets, generally do involve insults.

 

[Fifth Element]

- Any examples which run counter to my point are due to observer error, not any mistakes in whatever my point is.

- Any disagreement with my point is because my point is being misunderstood. I will further refuse to actually clarify my point because, that will also be misunderstood.

Both related to the "It's not an insult, it's just the truth" fallacy. You say something insulting, and when someone points out that it's insulting you respond with something like, "I don't mean namby-pamby amateur theatre type as an insult, it's just the truth."