Law of the Possible Fallacies

The principle that for any argument, it is possible to interpret it as fallacious—there is always some way to apply a fallacy label, regardless of the argument's actual merit. The law acknowledges that fallacy-mongering is infinite: given enough creativity, you can find an ad hominem, a straw man, a slippery slope in any discourse. This possibility doesn't mean all arguments are fallacious; it means fallacy labeling is not objective. It's a rhetorical move, not a logical judgment. The law of the possible fallacies warns against the weaponization of fallacy terminology—just because you can call something a fallacy doesn't mean it is one.

Example: "He could find a fallacy in any argument, no matter how sound. Straw man? You're oversimplifying. Ad hominem? You're attacking the person. Slippery slope? You're predicting disaster. The law of the possible fallacies explained: it's always possible to see a fallacy if you want to. The question was whether the fallacy was real or just his imagination."

by Dumu The Void February 17, 2026

Law of the Fallacy Possibility

The principle that fallacies represent possibilities, not certainties—they identify ways reasoning could go wrong, not guarantees that it has. Calling an argument a slippery slope doesn't prove it's wrong; it identifies a possibility of error that must be evaluated. Calling an argument ad hominem doesn't settle the matter; it raises a possibility that must be assessed. The law of the fallacy possibility reminds us that fallacy labels are hypotheses, not verdicts. They open inquiry rather than closing it. The real work is not in naming the fallacy but in determining whether it actually occurred—whether the possibility is actual.

Example: "She said his argument was a slippery slope. He agreed it was possible, then asked for evidence that the slope would actually slide. The law of the fallacy possibility said: naming the possibility doesn't prove it's real. The debate shifted from labeling to evidence, which is where it should have been all along."

by Dumu The Void February 17, 2026