Fallacies

A fallacy is a logical reasoning process that is incorrect. For instance, the Ad Hominem Fallacy involves rejecting an argument based on the personal characteristics of the person arguing for it. The Fallacy Fallacy occurs when the reasoner recognises that an argument is fallacious, thus determining the argument is not true and from that concluding the arguments conclusion must be false. However, if you look close enough this is just an extension of the ‘Denying the Antecedent’ formal fallacy; ‘If P then Q. Not P, therefore, not Q’ (where P and Q are the argument given).

Since P and Q represent the argument, this can actually be extended to the Fallacy Fallacy Fallacy since its psychologically easy to dismiss an argument once you have pointed out there is a fallacy (i.e. the Fallacy Fallacy). However, in doing this, you are also committing a fallacy (hence the Fallacy Fallacy Fallacy). Perhaps this ought to be better conveyed through an example; if you point out someone has used the Fallacy Fallacy, and from that dismiss their claim, then you have committed the Fallacy Fallacy Fallacy. Furthermore, this can be extended infinitely many times! You can commit the Fallacy Fallacy, the Fallacy Fallacy Fallacy or even the Fallacy Fallacy Fallacy Fallacy Fallacy! Be careful as to not falling into this never-ending fallacious cycle.