Reductio ad Hitlerum
Reductio ad Hitlerum, also known as playing the Hitler card, is a logical fallacy described by Leo Strauss, a philosopher, in 1951.[1][2] It happens when someone compares their opponent's view with Hitler or something that he did.[3]
It is a form of ad hominem, distracting from the argument by criticizing the opponent. It works because in the modern world, people think of Nazism as a bad thing.[4]
During the 2016 US Presidential Election, Republican candidate Donald J. Trump has been repeatedly compared to Hitler by commentators and comedians.[5][6]
An example is as follows:
- Person 1 suggests that X is true.
- Person 2 says that Hitler said that too, and so X is not true.
As person 2 has criticized the opponent as opposed to the argument by comparing them to Hitler without giving any reasons as to why X is not true, they have committed reductio ad Hitlerum.
References
- ↑ Measure: A Critical Journal - Robert Maynard Hutchins - Google Livres (1951)H. Regnery Company. Retrieved 2013-01-10.
- ↑ John Glad. History, Eugenics, And The Jews (June 9, 2004)The Jewish Press.
- ↑ Curtis, Gary N.. Logical Fallacy: Guilt by Association. Fallacy Files (2004). Retrieved 2007-10-08.
- ↑ Curtis, Gary N.. Logical Fallacy: The Hitler Card. Fallacy Files (2004). Retrieved 2007-10-08.
- ↑ Zumberge, Marianne. Louis C.K. Compares Donald Trump to Hitler: 'He's an Insane Bigot' (5 March 2016).
- ↑ Trump-Hitler Comparisons This Weekend (6 March 2016).
