Argument to moderation explained

Argument to moderation (Latin: argumentum ad temperantiam)—also known as the false compromise, argument from middle ground, fallacy of gray, middle ground fallacy, or golden mean fallacy[1] —is the fallacy that the truth is always in the middle of two opposites.[2] It does not necessarily suggest that an argument for the middle solution or for a compromise is always fallacious, but rather applies primarily in cases where such a position is ill-informed, unfeasible, or impossible, or where an argument is incorrectly made that a position is correct simply because it is in the middle.[3] [4]

An example of an argument to moderation would be considering two statements about the colour of the sky on Earth during the dayone claiming, correctly, that the sky is blue, and another claiming that it is yellowand incorrectly concluding that the sky is the intermediate colour, green.[5]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/middle-ground.html Fallacy: Middle Ground
  2. Book: Harker, David . Creating Scientific Controversies: Uncertainty and Bias in Science and Society . Cambridge University Press . 2015 . 978-1-107-06961-9 . 2015011610 . registration.
  3. Web site: Argument to Moderation . 2024-02-14 . Logically Fallacious . en.
  4. Web site: Rose . Hannah . 2022-05-17 . False compromise fallacy: why the middle ground is not always the best . 2024-02-14 . Ness Labs . en.
  5. Book: Gardner, Susan T. . Thinking Your Way to Freedom: A Guide to Owning Your Own Practical Reasoning . Temple University Press . 2009 . 978-1-59213-867-8 . j.ctt14btd4j . 2008023988.