The slippery slope 151
You will need shifting the burden of proof if you intend to
foray into the world of metaphysical entities. Instead of resorting
to the simple 'you prove it isn't', you should clothe your fallacy in
more circumlocutious form,
Can you show me one convincing piece of evidence which actually dis-
proves that...?
(This tempts the audience into supplying instances, giving you a
chance to slide into 'refuting the example' instead of giving any
arguments in favour of your case.)The popular misconception about the onus of proof will
enable you to put forward views for which there is not a shred of
evidence. You can back gryphons, the perfectibility of man, or
the peaceful intentions of religious fundamentalists.The slippery slope
Slippery slopes are so tricky to negotiate that even the first timid
step upon them sets you sliding all the way to the bottom. No one
ever goes up a slippery slope; they are strictly for the descent to
disaster. The fallacy is that of supposing that a single step in a
particular direction must inevitably and irresistibly lead to the
whole distance being covered. There are cases in which one step
leads to another, and cases where it does not. It is not a fallacy to
suppose that after the first stride, further steps might be taken
towards unpleasant consequences, but it is usually an error to
suppose that they must.
There is a limited class of cases in which someone is doomed
after the first step; stepping off a skyscraper is one of them. But in
most life situations there is a choice about whether or not to go
further. Those who oppose progress, however, often use the