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Fallacy of composition says I look at a few stupid humans and decide that all humans are stupid. That's what the person who I was replying to was doing in repl

• asendra 8y ago
  Does this mean the average American is shortsighted and stupid then? “But the average American has less than $4,000 in savings, while 57% of U.S. adults have less than $1,000 to their names.” https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/budget-and-spending/2018/05/22/what-average-american-needs-in-emergency-savings/35175419/ https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/budget-...
• Terr_ 8y ago
  > Fallacy of composition says I look at a few stupid humans and decide that all humans are stupid. No, a fallacy of composition would be "the organization is stupid because its employees are stupid", or "metal boats are impossible because metal sinks in water." It involves something which is composed of the smaller pieces. What you're describing is more like a hasty generalization, where individual-qualities within a sample lead to a conclusion about individual-qualities shared by the entire population. > I was trying to point out that if their supposition is true then we are all screwed no matter what. And -- even if their supposition is true -- I disagree! Metal boats can float on water, even though individual metal pieces sink. Institutions can solve problems, even ones that individuals humans suck at.