Da Mihi In Manu Mea Fallacy

A fallacy or meta-fallacy where a person demands proof, evidence, or sources from their opponent as if the opponent were a servant obligated to provide whatever is requested, whenever it's requested, in whatever form is demanded. Named from the Latin phrase meaning "give it into my hand," the fallacy treats the opposing debater as a butler who must fetch whatever intellectual goods the demander wants, regardless of relevance, burden of proof, or the demander's own obligations. The butler fallacy is typically combined with moving the proofpost: first demand a source, then demand a better source, then demand a different kind of source, then declare all sources inadequate. The goal is not to find truth but to exhaust the opponent, to put them in a servant position, to establish dominance through endless demands. The butler fallacy is the signature tactic of bad-faith arguers who treat debate as a power game rather than a search for understanding.

Example: "He spent three hours demanding sources, then rejecting them, then demanding different ones, then rejecting those. Da Mihi In Manu Mea Fallacy in action: he'd appointed himself the master and her the butler, expected to serve whatever proof he demanded. When she finally asked what evidence he would accept, he said 'I'll know it when I see it.' He never saw it."

Da Mihi In Manu Mea Fallacy by Dumu The Void March 10, 2026