Hey what’s up Thinkers! Kathy Gibbens her
I have to start off today sharing a review that a listener left on Apple podcast, and I love hearing from all my listeners, but my absolute favorites are when I hear from my teen listeners! This one is from a listener called “GaceGirl” She says: “this podcast is absolutely amazing! I am 16 years old and have been listening to this podcast for almost 6 months and it has changed my life and my view of the world. Thank you so much! Keep it up!” First of all, I want to say Hey! And thanks for leaving this review! It encourages me so much to hear from you and to know that this podcast is making an impact. I love my teen listeners and I’m so thankful you’re here and wanting to learn how to think well so you can live based on Truth! If you haven’t left a review yet, would you take about 10 seconds and do that wherever you listen to it? Even if it’s just hitting 5 stars, or if you’d take a few seconds and write a review, it means so much to me and it helps more people find this podcast.
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Alright, let’s dive into today’s new fallacy, the Moral Equivalence Fallacy. The Moral Equivalence Fallacy happens when someone makes it seem like two different things are morally equal, even though there are significant differences between the two things. It involves comparing & equating two things that are not the same morally and ethically and trying to make it seem as though they’re the same. And, if you’re thinking this sounds familiar, you’re right! It is a form of a False or Weak Analogy, which I covered back in episode 33, but because it does have the unique twist of applying morality to it, which is why I’m giving it its own episode.
Here’s a simple example: Aaron tells his uncle he just got a new puppy and he can’t wait to start training it to play fetch. His uncle looks horrified and says, “That’s terrible! Owning a pet is the 21st century version of slave ownership…how could you?!” Ok, yes, I used a somewhat extreme example, but hopefully it helps you get the point of this fallacy. This uncle is comparing dog ownership with slave ownership and applying the same moral judgements to both of those actions. But they’re not the same thing at all.
The problem behind the thinking in the Moral Equivalence Fallacy is that it ignores the different levels of morality between two actions or events. Even though there may be some similarities between two situations, that doesn’t mean they’re the same morally or that the same moral standards should be applied to both situations.
Another example is when someone equates Self-defense and Aggression. It’s a Moral Equivalence fallacy to say that someone acting in self-defense is the same thing as someone committing an unprovoked act of aggression. Self-defense typically involves using force to protect oneself or others from immediate harm or danger. In contrast, aggression refers to someone initiating harm or violence against others without any justifiable reason. While both actions may involve the use of force, the underlying motives and circumstances differ significantly & should not be judged to be morally the same.
Question to ask yourself: “Is it really true that those two things are morally the same?” *repeat* Alright, that’s it for today.
Remember: When you learn HOW to think, you will no longer fall prey to those who are trying to tell you what THEY want you to think and it all starts with asking one simple question: “Is that really true?”
