Also Known as: Golden Mean Fallacy, Fallacy of Moderation
This fallacy is committed when it is assumed that the middle position
between two extremes must be correct simply because it is the middle
position. this sort of "reasoning" has the following form:
- Position A and B are two extreme positions.
- C is a position that rests in the middle between A and B.
- Therefore C is the correct position.
This line of "reasoning" is fallacious because it does not
follow that a position is correct just because it lies in the middle of
two extremes. This is shown by the following example. Suppose that a
person is selling his computer. He wants to sell it for the current
market value, which is $800 and someone offers him $1 for it. It would
hardly follow that $400.50 is the proper price.
This fallacy draws its power from the fact that a moderate or middle
position is often the correct one. For example, a moderate amount of
exercise is better than too much exercise or too little exercise.
However, this is not simply because it lies in the middle ground between
two extremes. It is because too much exercise is harmful and too little
exercise is all but useless. The basic idea behind many cases in which
moderation is correct is that the extremes are typically "too
much" and "not enough" and the middle position is
"enough." In such cases the middle position is correct almost
by definition.
It should be kept in mind that while uncritically assuming that the
middle position must be correct because it is the middle position is
poor reasoning it does not follow that accepting a middle position is
always fallacious. As was just mentioned, many times a moderate position
is correct. However, the claim that the moderate or middle position is
correct must be supported by legitimate reasoning.
- Some people claim that God is all powerful, all knowing, and all
good. Other people claim that God does not exist at all. Now, it seems
reasonable to accept a position somewhere in the middle. So, it is
likely that God exists, but that he is only very powerful, very knowing,
and very good. That seems right to me.
- Congressman Jones has proposed cutting welfare payments by 50%
while Congresswoman Shender has proposed increasing welfare payments by
10% to keep up with inflation and cost of living increases. I think that
the best proposal is the one made by Congressman Trumple. He says that a
30% decrease in welfare payments is a good middle ground, so I think
that is what we should support.
- A month ago, a tree in Bill's yard was damaged in a storm. His
neighbor, Joe, asked him to have the tree cut down so it would not fall
on Joes new shed. Bill refused to do this. Two days ago another storm
blew the tree onto Joe's new shed. Joe demanded that Joe pay the cost of
repairs, which was $250. Bill said that he wasn't going to pay a cent.
Obviously, the best solution is to reach a compromise between the two
extremes, so Bill should pay Joe $125 dollars.
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