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> "We would not need affirmative action if [reality was different]." > Ergo, we need affirmative action. Logical fallacy. "I have a good immune system, so I w
by dunpeal 8y ago
> "We would not need affirmative action if [reality was different]."
> Ergo, we need affirmative action.
Logical fallacy.
"I have a good immune system, so I would not need medicine if I got a cold."
Doesn't mean I need medicine right now, when I'm not sick at all.
EDIT: The example seems to be confusing people, so here's a more formal explanation:
if (reality is different) then not (we need affirmative action)
Does not imply:
if not (reality is different) then (we need affirmative action)
The original claim is P-> ~Q
It doesn't follow that ~P -> Q
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]
- adarsh_p 8y agoThe inverse of your example sentence would be something like - "I don't have a good immune system, so I would need medicine if I got a cold" - which makes sense, and is analogous to "Reality is not different, so we do need affirmative action."
- nostrademons 8y agoThe inverse of a proposition is not logically entailed by the proposition itself. You're looking for the contrapositive, but the contrapositive of his example is "I need medicine if I got a cold, so I do not have a good immune system."
- adarsh_p 8y agoGot it, thanks for the explanations!