False Effect

Disciplines > Argument > Fallacies > False Effect

Description | Discussion | Example | See also

Description

X apparently causes Y. Y is wrong. So X is wrong.

If you want to prove something wrong, find something that it appears to cause and prove that second things wrong. You can also do the reverse to show something to be right.

Example

I pulled on the string and the kite fell to ground. Pulling on the string is therefore ineffective.

Loud music leads to deafness. Turn that music down!

Eating sweets makes you happy. You should thus eat sweets.

Discussion

This works because attention is distracted from the (incorrect) assumption that X causes Y to the question of whether or not X is right or wrong (which usually cannot be questioned).

Classification

Assumptive, Causal, Distraction, Falsehood

Also known as

Non Causa Pro Causa