Regardless of what side of a debate you're on, bad arguments irk me. Here's a few:
- On whether women are funny:
Christopher Hitchens once said that women generally aren't funny and don't have to be; that men are funny because humor attracts females and unfunny men will be left out of the gene pool.
Regardless of what you believe about this topic, that's a stupid argument. Most of human history was dictated by power. The most powerful males got the most and best females, not the most charming. When humans became civilized, women didn't have the choice of mates as they were often given into marriage; that choice was made by the father or tribe, not the woman.
Humor works when dating, which is a relatively recent human event. Even now, humor matters less than plain ol' physical attractiveness, and definitely less than power, wealth and social standing.
- On abortion:
Pro-choice people have said abortion is about controlling women's bodies. While I'm also pro-choice, this seems like a bad argument because pro-lifers object based on moral reasons and concern for the unborn. This is why many pro-lifers are against stem-cell research, which aren't even in a woman's body; the woman they came from no longer has anything to do with them.
- On men vs. women drivers:
When countering the stereotype of women being bad drivers, the fact that men get into more car accidents have been used as a rebuttal. Regardless of what you believe about this issue, that's a bad argument because it doesn't necessarily show men are worse drivers, it could mean men take more risks. Men engage in more risk-taking behavior than women, whether that's rock-climbing, skydiving or race-car driving. Men being in more accidents doesn't speak to the ability of men vs. women to handle and navigate a vehicle.
Pubic opinion polls:
They (mostly) don't matter on most social and political issues. At different times or places in the world, including the present, public opinion favored vile positions. This incudes segregation, whether women should work or hold public office, you name it.
Citing public opinion as a support for or against anything is generally a bad argument.
Funny women:
Lucille Ball
Carol Burnett (back when tv was broadcast live!)
Mary Tyler Moore
Phyllis Diller
Lily Tomlin (have I reached the party to whom I am speaking?)
Cloris Leachman (Frau Blücher in Young Frankenstein)
Joan Rivers
Mae West (too much of a good thing can be wonderful)
the regulars on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (Goldie Hawn, Ruth Buzzi et al)
Jennifer Anniston
the female leads of BBT (and Howard's mother)
Diane Keaton
Shirley MacLaine
Gilda Radner
Jane Curtin
Madeline Kahn
Those are just the ones familiar to American tv-watchers and movie goers. There are quite a number of fine British comediennes, too. Miranda Hart is my fave.
"The death penalty deters murders."
It didn't deter any of the people currently or formerly on death row.
"You can't prove God didn't create the universe."
"You can't prove there wasn't vote fraud."
"You can't prove there isn't Sasquatch."
"You can't prove there aren't alien abductions."
Right, I can't prove it. That still doesn't mean it happened.
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@vivify saidWhat annoys me the most are the FAKE NEWS SOURCES
"If man came from monkeys, why are there still monkeys?"
Man shares common ancestry with primates, they didn't "come from" monkeys. In fact, humans are considered apes while monkeys are not.
I don't care if you believe in evolution or not, stop asking this question.
@moonbus saidYes, "prove the negative" is usually part of a bad argument.
"The death penalty deters murders."
It didn't deter any of the people currently or formerly on death row.
"You can't prove God didn't create the universe."
"You can't prove there wasn't vote fraud."
"You can't prove there isn't Sasquatch."
"You can't prove there aren't alien abductions."
Right, I can't prove it. That still doesn't mean it happened.
@book-and-bored saidAs long as that person doesn't ignore history and what lead to those statistics.
Anyone who ignores statistics per capita because they are afraid to be called racist.
@vivify saidRefreshing to see someone spot bad arguments from his on purported side. I also am irked by this no matter what side it comes from and often attack bad arguments even if I agree with the conclusion (this is always misunderstood as disagreeing with the conclusion).
Regardless of what side of a debate you're on, bad arguments irk me. Here's a few:
- On whether women are funny:
Christopher Hitchens once said that women generally aren't funny and don't have to be; that men are funny because humor attracts females and unfunny men will be left out of the gene pool.
Regardless of what you believe about this topic, that's a stupid ar ...[text shortened]... ng in more accidents doesn't speak to the ability of men vs. women to handle and navigate a vehicle.
@moonbus saidThis is actually a logical fallacy.
Funny women:
Lucille Ball
Carol Burnett (back when tv was broadcast live!)
Mary Tyler Moore
Phyllis Diller
Lily Tomlin (have I reached the party to whom I am speaking?)
Cloris Leachman (Frau Blücher in Young Frankenstein)
Joan Rivers
Mae West (too much of a good thing can be wonderful)
the regulars on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (Goldie Hawn, Ruth Buzzi et al)
Jenni ...[text shortened]... and movie goers. There are quite a number of fine British comediennes, too. Miranda Hart is my fave.
The argument being that women are unfunny. And your reply is to come with a list of exceptions. It doesn’t actually address the argument.
@shavixmir said
This is actually a logical fallacy.
The argument being that women are unfunny. And your reply is to come with a list of exceptions. It doesn’t actually address the argument.