When a word is forcefully broadened to the point where it loses its purpose, not through natural evolution, but for the sake of inclusion or ideology. Broadening something so much it renders its purpose non existent or lesser as a result.
“The sky is grey”
“What? It’s blue!”
“Grey just means any color that isn’t white!””
“That’s just a dilution fallacy, grey means a specific color, spontaneously ditching that for your opinion is insane!”
Alternatively:
“Let Timmy have a drivers license!”
“But he can’t drive!”
“Don’t worry, drivers licenses are meant to include everyone! It just means anyone with an interest in qualifying for driving!”
“That’s just a dilution fallacy, it no longer means what it’s supposed to!”
“What? It’s blue!”
“Grey just means any color that isn’t white!””
“That’s just a dilution fallacy, grey means a specific color, spontaneously ditching that for your opinion is insane!”
Alternatively:
“Let Timmy have a drivers license!”
“But he can’t drive!”
“Don’t worry, drivers licenses are meant to include everyone! It just means anyone with an interest in qualifying for driving!”
“That’s just a dilution fallacy, it no longer means what it’s supposed to!”
by NathanMcCulley June 12, 2025
Similar to Ken Wilber's "Pre/trans fallacy", which is about conflating pre-rational views with trans-rational views, the Relative/absolute fallacy is about conflating relative perspectives with The Absolute perspective. This is the main source of confusion in the forms of spirituality that deal with the implications of non-duality (Oneness).
There are generally two levels to the fallacy:
1. The first level is the conflation that happens when you don't have knowledge about the distinction between the relative and The Absolute (dual/non-dual). This is common in pre-rational religious people (Wilber). The way that traditional religion interprets various holy texts is itself a good example.
2. The second level happens when you do have knowledge about the distinction between relative and absolute (but it's obviously not complete knowledge). This is common in (aspiring) trans-rational people. A common example is to think that because nothing ultimately really matters, morality doesn't matter, and therefore it's fine to for example hurt other people. This is to conflate "the relative" with "The Absolute". From The Absolute perspective, yes, nothing really matters, but morality can only ever be defined "relative" to a certain value system in the first place. By taking the absolute perspective, you're deliberately stepping outside of all value systems, but "it's fine to hurt other people" would be a moral statement, which means you're actually invoking a relative perspective.
There are generally two levels to the fallacy:
1. The first level is the conflation that happens when you don't have knowledge about the distinction between the relative and The Absolute (dual/non-dual). This is common in pre-rational religious people (Wilber). The way that traditional religion interprets various holy texts is itself a good example.
2. The second level happens when you do have knowledge about the distinction between relative and absolute (but it's obviously not complete knowledge). This is common in (aspiring) trans-rational people. A common example is to think that because nothing ultimately really matters, morality doesn't matter, and therefore it's fine to for example hurt other people. This is to conflate "the relative" with "The Absolute". From The Absolute perspective, yes, nothing really matters, but morality can only ever be defined "relative" to a certain value system in the first place. By taking the absolute perspective, you're deliberately stepping outside of all value systems, but "it's fine to hurt other people" would be a moral statement, which means you're actually invoking a relative perspective.
You're conflating relative perspectives with The Absolute perspective ("The Relative/Absolute Fallacy").
Albert thinks he is God and nobody else is. Albert has committed the Relative/Absolute Fallacy.
Albert thinks he is God and nobody else is. Albert has committed the Relative/Absolute Fallacy.
by Carich99 December 24, 2020
Hym "No. Slippery slope fallacy.. You can pay me for my work. You're LYING and trying to frame it as though you're giving me something for nothing. I'M NOT GOING TO LET YOU DO THIS. YOU CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO DO THIS."
by Hym Iam July 27, 2024
Hym "What the entire conservative position has become over the last for years. The slippery slope fallacy. We can't do this because THEN they'll want THAT! And then pretty soon we'll be holding our kids butthole open for the pedophiles!"
by Hym Iam March 15, 2024
The truth will have no conceivable defence, where as a fictional narrative can always be confirmed as fallacy.
John: I believe that we can grow our gross revenue 10% over the next six years using this marketing strategy.
Harvey: Well, facts are friendly. until then, fiction is fallacy.
The definition of fact being an absolute truth, where as to define fallacy is to holding a mistaken belief, especially one based on unsound arguments.
Facts are friendly, fiction is fallacy - would be defined as until you have evidence you are unable to make a case against the fallacy of your argument.
Harvey: Well, facts are friendly. until then, fiction is fallacy.
The definition of fact being an absolute truth, where as to define fallacy is to holding a mistaken belief, especially one based on unsound arguments.
Facts are friendly, fiction is fallacy - would be defined as until you have evidence you are unable to make a case against the fallacy of your argument.
by Harrison T French October 20, 2018
Where you think you're more awesome than everyone else, and that your opinions are so right, they don't require justification and everyone else is stupid for thinking differently.
Person 1: "I disagree with you, I think the Beatles is a boy band because some of their early stuff shows especially the commercialism aspect of boy bands."
Jack: "That's wrong, obviously the Beatles isn't a boy band."
Person 1: "That's actually the Jack Fallacy, not a real argument."
Jack: "Anyone who doesn't believe in God is an idiot, there's obviously a God."
Person 2: "the Jack Fallacy."
Jack: "That's wrong, obviously the Beatles isn't a boy band."
Person 1: "That's actually the Jack Fallacy, not a real argument."
Jack: "Anyone who doesn't believe in God is an idiot, there's obviously a God."
Person 2: "the Jack Fallacy."
by TessaSalem November 16, 2012
The color red is the best because the Internet said so.
That line of thinking is just a Kevin fallacy!
That line of thinking is just a Kevin fallacy!
by Vihörs February 25, 2024