Is it a continuum fallacy to say that categories don't actually exist because most things exists in a continuum? (if at all) (if at all) When talking about "human life", it is clear to me that a bunch of cells doesn't start being a "human" at any particular point, so the idea of "human" is merely a human construct and only to be seen as such.

Apr 12, 2023 · It is a fallacy of the heaps to argue that the fact of continuum precludes any meaningful distinctions of regions along a continuum. For example, amounts of heat vary on a continuum, and water boils/freezes when it becomes sufficiently hot/cold such that, on a heat-continuum, there are meaningfully distinct regions.

Aug 17, 2016 · I did wonder about the continuum fallacy, but as the emphasis was on steps between 2 (or more) points I dismissed as not quite right, but I'll give it another mull over. I think you should definitely add it as an answer though, to let people vote. –

This sounds similar to a "Fallacy of the Beard". The fallacy of the beard occurs when someone dismisses a claim by saying that there is no difference between itself and its opposite since a blurry line exists between them. In this case, the problem is when does facial hair start to be a beard as opposed to being a non-beard.

Mar 7, 2019 · Suppose this continuum covers all the possible, or at least realisable, states of affairs in a particular situation. s1, s2, s3, s4, s5, s6, s7, s8, s9, s9, s10 where each state after s1 represents more of a certain good.

Jan 11, 2025 · The definist fallacy consists of (1) defining one concept in terms of another concept with which it is not clearly synonymous, (2) as the persuasive definition fallacy, defining a concept in terms of another concept in an infelicitous way that is favorable to one's position, or (3) the insistence that a term be defined before it can be used in ...

Oct 23, 2012 · @Mason Wheeler : The mean fallacy is to assert that the middle position is right, simply by virtue of the fact it is the middle. It is not the assertion that a middle position exists or - as it much more commonly is - a whole continuum of positions. And in that case, yes, it is true, in most cases nothing is exactly at either extreme, but also ...

They both invoke reasoning from the continuum fallacy, a.k.a. the sorites paradox (paradox of the heap): adding a grain to a non-heap does not make it a heap, therefore no amount of grains makes a heap. Or, therefore no one grain "contributes" to the heap.

Feb 6, 2022 · This reminds me "the more we know the more we forget and the more we forget the less we know, so why study". This sort of thing is called the continuum fallacy: a quality that comes in grades is reduced to a binary, and all sorts of funny conclusions follow. If I cut off one finger I'll never have a full set of fingers again, so why not just go ...

Dec 9, 2023 · The fallacy of the appeal to authority - the authority as presented is irrelevant to the topic as an appeal to authority may be useful when the authority is relevant to the point. The fallacy of the appeal to popularity - whether or not many people believe a truth is irrelevant to some questions, but relevant to others.