Poisoning the well: Difference between revisions

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==Examples==
==Examples==
* "When John E. Jones decided in 2005 to “traipse into” the controversial area of evolution and science education, deciding the scientific merit of intelligent design as a federal court judge in Dover, PA, he may have only dreamed of the day when he would see himself on the silver screen. [...] Now PBS and NOVA are teaming up to produce what may be Judge Jones’ dream come true. “Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial” is a special 2-hour program devoted to the Dover trial as Judge Jones saw it." -- [http://www.discovery.org/a/4300 Anika Jones, "What NOVA Won't Tell You about Dover"]
* "When John E. Jones decided in 2005 to 'traipse into' the controversial area of evolution and science education, deciding the scientific merit of intelligent design as a federal court judge in Dover, PA, he may have only dreamed of the day when he would see himself on the silver screen. [...] Now PBS and NOVA are teaming up to produce what may be Judge Jones' dream come true. 'Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial' is a special 2-hour program devoted to the Dover trial as Judge Jones saw it." -- [http://www.discovery.org/a/4300 Anika Jones, "What NOVA Won't Tell You about Dover"]
* "Science says that disease is caused by germs, not demons. But don't we place too much reliance on science?"
* "Scientists at Los Alamos — the good folks who unleashed the terror of atomic bombs on the world — are now proposing that we use bees to sniff out bomb-toting terrorists."<!-- made-up quote based on real news story -->


==See also==
==See also==

Revision as of 17:41, 8 October 2008


Poisoning the well is a logical fallacy in which the person making the fallacy seeks to discredit an opponent before that opponent has presented any arguments.

The negative information presented to discredit the opponent may be either true or false, but, as it is known to be negative, is presented solely to persuade the audience to view the opponent's later arguments as false regardless of their rationale.

Examples

  • "When John E. Jones decided in 2005 to 'traipse into' the controversial area of evolution and science education, deciding the scientific merit of intelligent design as a federal court judge in Dover, PA, he may have only dreamed of the day when he would see himself on the silver screen. [...] Now PBS and NOVA are teaming up to produce what may be Judge Jones' dream come true. 'Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial' is a special 2-hour program devoted to the Dover trial as Judge Jones saw it." -- Anika Jones, "What NOVA Won't Tell You about Dover"
  • "Scientists at Los Alamos — the good folks who unleashed the terror of atomic bombs on the world — are now proposing that we use bees to sniff out bomb-toting terrorists."

See also