Sweeping Generalization

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This page is part of the EvoWiki encyclopedia of fallacies. Browse: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Contents 1 Synonyms 2 Explanation 3 Category 4 Subfallacies 5 External Links 6 Examples in creationist arguments

Synonyms

• A dicto simpliciter ad dictum secundum quid
• Accident
• Dicto simpliciter
• Dicto simpliciter ad dictum secundum quid
• Fallacy of Accident

Explanation

This fallacy is committed when a general rule is taken to be universal, and the possibility of an exception (or accident) is ignored (rather than the fact of an exception being ignored, which would be a Suppressed Evidence argument).

For example, "birds can [normally] fly" is a general rule, and doesn't imply that all birds (such as emus or penguins) can fly. To take this general rule and apply it to all birds would be committing a sweeping generalization.

Category

• Misuse of Statistics
• Conceptual Fallacy

Subfallacies

• Formally Correct Fallacy

External Links

• Fallacy Files [1]
• Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy [2]

Examples in creationist arguments

• Why isn't new life still being generated today?
• Federal law (Santorum Amendment) supports teaching alternatives
• Even the simplest life is incredibly complex
• The universe can't come from nothing
• Systems left to themselves invariably tend towards disorder
• The 2nd law, and the trend to disorder, is universal