Slippery Slope Slippery Slope FallacyFallacy

By: Derek Gossett and Bekah By: Derek Gossett and Bekah LancasterLancaster

DefinitionDefinition Also known as the camel’s noseAlso known as the camel’s nose

A fallacy in which a person asserts that some A fallacy in which a person asserts that some event must inevitably follow from another event must inevitably follow from another without any argument for the inevitability of the without any argument for the inevitability of the event in question. In most cases, there are a event in question. In most cases, there are a series of steps between one event and the one in series of steps between one event and the one in question and no reason is given as to why the question and no reason is given as to why the intervening steps will simply be bypassed. intervening steps will simply be bypassed.

ExamplesExamples ““(1) If you buy a Green Day album, then next (1) If you buy a Green Day album, then next

you’ll be buying Buzzcocks albums, and before you’ll be buying Buzzcocks albums, and before you know it you’ll be a punk with green hair and you know it you’ll be a punk with green hair and everything.everything.(2) You don’t want to become a punk.(2) You don’t want to become a punk.Therefore:Therefore:(3) You shouldn’t buy a Green Day album.”(3) You shouldn’t buy a Green Day album.”

More examplesMore examples The first step towards inevitably becoming Amy The first step towards inevitably becoming Amy

Winehouse.. Slippery Slope isn't always a Winehouse.. Slippery Slope isn't always a logical fallacy. logical fallacy. The slippery slope is an analogy used to describe any argument that presupposes that if one small step is taken in a presupposes that if one small step is taken in a particular direction, it will inevitably lead to a particular direction, it will inevitably lead to a more extreme outcome. For example, it is more extreme outcome. For example, it is common wisdom that, once you start drinking common wisdom that, once you start drinking alone, you're destined to die naked in a gutter alone, you're destined to die naked in a gutter with a liver made of pure grain alcohol. It might with a liver made of pure grain alcohol. It might be true, but it's not necessarily true, and is thus be true, but it's not necessarily true, and is thus a logical fallacy.a logical fallacy.

ExplanationExplanation

The picture shows that if gays The picture shows that if gays can marry, then legal incest and can marry, then legal incest and bigamy will happen as a result. bigamy will happen as a result.

If something happens, then this If something happens, then this will occur as a result. will occur as a result.

Pop Culture Pop Culture

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-zG5https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-zG5U0v3gUU0v3gU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7udQhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7udQSHWpL88&feature=relmfuSHWpL88&feature=relmfu

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VObFhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VObFc64OnEk&feature=relatedc64OnEk&feature=related

The CrucibleThe Crucible

Act 3: page 214. Speaker: Hathorne, Act 3: page 214. Speaker: Hathorne, he was asking Giles Corey to give he was asking Giles Corey to give the information.the information.

Act 3: page 223. Speaker: Danforth, Act 3: page 223. Speaker: Danforth, questioning Elizabeth Proctor over questioning Elizabeth Proctor over her husband.her husband.

Act 4: page 232-233. Speaker: Act 4: page 232-233. Speaker: Danforth, talking about how he had Danforth, talking about how he had hanged 12 women already. hanged 12 women already.

CitationCitation "Logical Fallacies» Slippery Slope Fallacy." "Logical Fallacies» Slippery Slope Fallacy." Logical FallaciesLogical Fallacies. .

Web. 10 Feb. 2012. Web. 10 Feb. 2012. "Fallacy: Slippery Slope." "Fallacy: Slippery Slope." Holocaust Educational ResourceHolocaust Educational Resource. .

Web. 10 Feb. 2012. Web. 10 Feb. 2012. "DIRECTV - "Don't Have a Grandson with a Dog Collar" 2012 "DIRECTV - "Don't Have a Grandson with a Dog Collar" 2012

Commercial - YouTube." Commercial - YouTube." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. 15 Feb. 2012.

"DIRECTV - "Don't Wake Up in a Roadside Ditch" 2012 "DIRECTV - "Don't Wake Up in a Roadside Ditch" 2012 Commercial - YouTube." Commercial - YouTube." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. 15 Feb. 2012.

"DIRECTV - "Stop Taking in Stray Animals" 2012 Commercial "DIRECTV - "Stop Taking in Stray Animals" 2012 Commercial - YouTube." - YouTube." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. Web. 15 Feb. 2012.

"Slippery Slopes | Progressive Political Cartoon by Barry "Slippery Slopes | Progressive Political Cartoon by Barry Deutsch." Deutsch." LeftycartoonsLeftycartoons. Web. 16 Feb. 2012 . Web. 16 Feb. 2012