Slippery SlopeSlippery Slope

Megan HouchensMegan Houchens&&

Cole Peavler Cole Peavler

Slippery Slope: Slippery Slope:

The Slippery Slope is a fallacy in which a The Slippery Slope is a fallacy in which a person asserts that some event must inevitably person asserts that some event must inevitably follow from another, without any argument for follow from another, without any argument for why the event in question must happen. In why the event in question must happen. In most cases, there are a series of steps most cases, there are a series of steps between one event and the one in question between one event and the one in question and no reason is given as to why the and no reason is given as to why the intervening steps will simply be bypassed. This intervening steps will simply be bypassed. This "argument" has the following form: "argument" has the following form:

1.Event X has occurred (or will or might 1.Event X has occurred (or will or might occur). occur).

2. Therefore event Y will inevitably happen.2. Therefore event Y will inevitably happen.

This picture explains the slippery slope fallacy, This picture explains the slippery slope fallacy, because if gay marriage (Event X) is because if gay marriage (Event X) is illegalized then the next then you know straight illegalized then the next then you know straight marriage (Event Y) will inevitably become marriage (Event Y) will inevitably become illegalized as well, and so on and so forth. illegalized as well, and so on and so forth.

Universal Example Universal Example

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7udQhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7udQSHWpL88SHWpL88

This video is an example of the Slippery Slope fallacy because the This video is an example of the Slippery Slope fallacy because the guy did one minor thing which then led to many more major guy did one minor thing which then led to many more major things. The video makes it seems as though the guy’s life is things. The video makes it seems as though the guy’s life is destined to happen a certain way; because of the one simple thing destined to happen a certain way; because of the one simple thing he did and nothing can change the outcome. he did and nothing can change the outcome.

The CrucibleThe Crucible Example Example

Elizabeth: “The Deputy Governor promise hangin’ if they’ll not Elizabeth: “The Deputy Governor promise hangin’ if they’ll not confess, John. The town’s gone wild, I think. She speak of Abigail, confess, John. The town’s gone wild, I think. She speak of Abigail, and I thought she were a saint, to hear her. Abigail brings the other and I thought she were a saint, to hear her. Abigail brings the other girls into the court, and where she walks the crowd will part like the girls into the court, and where she walks the crowd will part like the sea for Israel. And folks are brought before them, and if they scream sea for Israel. And folks are brought before them, and if they scream and howl and fall to the floor- the person’s clapped in the jail for and howl and fall to the floor- the person’s clapped in the jail for bewitchin’ them.” (Act 2, P.193) bewitchin’ them.” (Act 2, P.193)

This is an example of the Slippery Slope fallacy because people This is an example of the Slippery Slope fallacy because people were being thrown in jail and killed all do to Abigail and the “other were being thrown in jail and killed all do to Abigail and the “other girls” simply screaming and acting as if something had overtaken girls” simply screaming and acting as if something had overtaken them. There was no other proof of the people being witches, but still them. There was no other proof of the people being witches, but still the court took things to the extreme due to the girls acting the way the court took things to the extreme due to the girls acting the way they did. they did.

The Crucible The Crucible ExampleExample

Giles: “That bloody mongrel Walcott charge her. Y’see he buy a pig of Giles: “That bloody mongrel Walcott charge her. Y’see he buy a pig of my wife four or five year ago, and the pig died soon after. So he come my wife four or five year ago, and the pig died soon after. So he come dancin’ in for his money back. So my Martha, she says to him, dancin’ in for his money back. So my Martha, she says to him, “Walcott, if you haven't the wit to feed the pig properly, you'll not live to “Walcott, if you haven't the wit to feed the pig properly, you'll not live to own many,” she says. Now he goes to court and claims that from that own many,” she says. Now he goes to court and claims that from that day to this he cannot a pig alive for more than four weeks because my day to this he cannot a pig alive for more than four weeks because my Martha bewitched them with her books.” (Act 2, P.201) Martha bewitched them with her books.” (Act 2, P.201)

Just because the pig that Walcott bought from Martha died doesn’t Just because the pig that Walcott bought from Martha died doesn’t mean that she is a witch. We can see here a prime example of the mean that she is a witch. We can see here a prime example of the slippery slope fallacy because the fact that the pig Walcott bought slippery slope fallacy because the fact that the pig Walcott bought from Martha died doesn’t mean anything. The court, however; takes from Martha died doesn’t mean anything. The court, however; takes this to the extreme and charges Martha with witchcraft because of the this to the extreme and charges Martha with witchcraft because of the death of a pig that they think correlates with her trafficking with the death of a pig that they think correlates with her trafficking with the devil, when in all reality they have no real reason to believe that.devil, when in all reality they have no real reason to believe that.

Bibliography Bibliography

Labossiere, Dr.Michael C.. "Fallacy: Slippery slope." Labossiere, Dr.Michael C.. "Fallacy: Slippery slope." The nizkor projectThe nizkor project. . www.nizkor.org, 2011. Web. 17 Feb 2012. www.nizkor.org, 2011. Web. 17 Feb 2012. <http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/slippery-slope.html>. <http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/slippery-slope.html>.

North, Ryan. "Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal ." ohnorobot. North, Ryan. "Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal ." ohnorobot. www.ohnorobot.comwww.ohnorobot.com, 2006. Web. 17 Feb 2012. , 2006. Web. 17 Feb 2012. <http://www.ohnorobot.com/index.pl?s=illegal;p=2;comic=137>. <http://www.ohnorobot.com/index.pl?s=illegal;p=2;comic=137>.