58 How to Win Every Argument
An individual can be ensnared with sentimens, and led to drop
a carefully thought-out position after being assured that he or
she cares just as much about humanity as the rest of us. A denial
would hardly count as a good response. A crowd is even easier to
lead by the nose on a sentimental string. I have rarely seen an
international gathering which did not give a standing ovation to
any gaga idiot who urged them to forget reason and concentrate
on loving each other.
'Most of the troubles of this world are caused by people thinking
things out, instead of responding naturally with warmth and
humanity. We should ignore these facts about Third World dicta-
torships, and reach out with love in our hearts and ...'
(And yuk.)Equivocation
Equivocation means using words ambiguously. Often done with
intent to deceive, it can even deceive the perpetrator. The fallacy
of equivocation occurs when words are used with more than one
meaning, even though the soundness of the reasoning requires
the same use to be sustained throughout.
Happiness is the end of life.
The end of life is death;
So happiness is death.
(The form of the argument is valid, but 'the end of life' refers to its
aim in the first line, and to its termination in the second. With this
discovery, out go a million schoolboy conundrums.)Half a loaf is better than nothing.
Nothing is better than good health;