No. 277 · Evidence · Fallacy
Black and White Fallacy
Most real choices have more than the two options on offer.
In the Almanac
“Bush’s either-or”, 2001 · “Nintendo Wii”, 2006
Both stories in full, three ways to use it and where it misleads.
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Questions
What is Black and White Fallacy?
The black and white fallacy, or false dilemma, squeezes a complex situation into two choices, usually one good and one bad. It's persuasive because it feels simple and urgent, but it hides better options.
How do you avoid Black and White Fallacy?
Whenever a choice is framed as "either this or that", pause and list at least three more possibilities, including middle paths and combinations. Even truly binary decisions often have flexible terms, timing or conditions.
When does Black and White Fallacy matter?
Black and White Fallacy is one of the 68 mental models for evidence, the situations where you ask: Is this really true? Within that, it belongs to “Spotting a bad argument”, alongside Ad Hominem, Appeal to Authority and Appeal to Emotion.
What is an example of Black and White Fallacy?
Two stories show it at work: Bush’s either-or (2001) and Nintendo Wii (2006). Both are told in full in The Mental Models Daily Almanac, which has two stories for each of its 365 models.
Which mental models are related to Black and White Fallacy?
False Dilemma, Grey Thinking and Divergent Thinking vs Convergent Thinking. Black and White Fallacy itself comes from fallacy.