How to Win Every Argument: The Use and Abuse of Logic (2006)

82 How to Win Every Argument

The genetic fallacy

The genetic fallacy has nothing to do with Darwin or Mendel,

but a great deal to do with not liking where an argument comes

from. People give less credence to views which emanate from

those they detest, regardless of the actual merit of the views

themselves. Every time you dismiss an argument or opinion

because you dislike its source, you commit the genetic fallacy.

The fallacy is sometimes called 'damning the origin', and we can

take it that the argument is sent to hell along with its source.

Don't be obsessed with punctuality. It was Mussolini who wanted the

trains to run on time.

(Mussolini's views on trains, whatever they were, are hardly an

argument on punctuality. Bad men, especially verbose ones, are

almost bound to say something right occasionally, much as a chimp-

anzee typing at random might produce Hamlet. No doubt Hitler

favoured road safety and disapproved of cancer. Mussolini might

have hit it lucky on the subject of trains.)

The genetic fallacy makes the mistake of supposing that the
source of an argument affects its validity. Utterly wicked people
sometimes utter worthy arguments, while saints are not immune
from silliness. The argument stands alone, drawing neither
strength nor weakness from its source.
This particular fallacy is often found basking in the hothouse
world of fashionable ideas. A view from a currently fashionable
source is given credence, but the same view would be rejected if
it emanated from someone less modish.

The objections to the Council's new bus timetable come only from private

property developers, and can be ignored.

(Why? Private developers might well have legitimate opinions or

insights on such matters. They are, alas, still bêtes noires in the world