The logical error of assuming people act honestly, ethically, or transparently without evidence, ignoring that self-interest, incentives, and deception often influence behavior. Accepting statements or actions at face value without considering motives is the Assumption of Benevolence Fallacy.
Examples Illustrating the Assumption of Benevolence Fallacy:
1. Law Enforcement:
Police at a crime scene operate under the assumption of malice or self-interest, not automatic honesty. Ignoring human self-interest in these situations would be dangerous and illogical.
2. Sports / Entertainment:
In the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight, assuming the bout wasn’t rigged just because they denied it ignores possible financial or strategic incentives, making this a clear Assumption of Benevolence Fallacy.
3. Everyday Life / Buying Items:
Buying a “cheap” iPad or concert tickets on Craigslist without checking could leave you with a fake or broken product. Verifying items before purchase follows the assumption of malice, showing why assuming honesty is a fallacy.
Examples Illustrating the Assumption of Benevolence Fallacy:
1. Law Enforcement:
Police at a crime scene operate under the assumption of malice or self-interest, not automatic honesty. Ignoring human self-interest in these situations would be dangerous and illogical.
2. Sports / Entertainment:
In the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight, assuming the bout wasn’t rigged just because they denied it ignores possible financial or strategic incentives, making this a clear Assumption of Benevolence Fallacy.
3. Everyday Life / Buying Items:
Buying a “cheap” iPad or concert tickets on Craigslist without checking could leave you with a fake or broken product. Verifying items before purchase follows the assumption of malice, showing why assuming honesty is a fallacy.
1. “Thinking a stranger handing you a USB drive is safe to plug in? That’s the Assumption of Benevolence Fallacy—people can have hidden motives.”
2. “Believing every politician is telling the truth during a campaign speech is a classic Assumption of Benevolence Fallacy.”
3. “Assuming your roommate would never eat your leftovers without asking? That’s textbook Assumption of Benevolence Fallacy.”
2. “Believing every politician is telling the truth during a campaign speech is a classic Assumption of Benevolence Fallacy.”
3. “Assuming your roommate would never eat your leftovers without asking? That’s textbook Assumption of Benevolence Fallacy.”
by QuestingPalm August 24, 2025
Get the Assumption of Benevolence Fallacy mug.The futile use of verbosity or technical blather in an attempt to ascribe logic to a fallacious argument.
No matter how much technical detail you can use to explain the genetic relationship between you and that chick you kissed, I know she's your sister, and I'm not listening to your Zeno's Paradox Fallacy nonsense.
by Prattlekak September 4, 2025
Get the Zeno's Paradox Fallacy mug.The Koopa Fallacy refers to a theoretical phenomenon when one group that contradicts itself is percieved as two groups with contradictory views.
This happens in internet fandoms where many users interact anonymously, and one finds it reasonable to assume that any contradictions are the result of disagreements between smallar groups when in fact it is one group being unreasonable and contradictory.
The name stems from the Goomba Fallacy, explaining the opposite phenomenon of two groups with contradictory view being mistaken as one.
This happens in internet fandoms where many users interact anonymously, and one finds it reasonable to assume that any contradictions are the result of disagreements between smallar groups when in fact it is one group being unreasonable and contradictory.
The name stems from the Goomba Fallacy, explaining the opposite phenomenon of two groups with contradictory view being mistaken as one.
"This fandom is demanding realism and wacky mechanics at once! Surely it's simply a disagreement within the fandom."
"No, the same accounts asking for realism are also asking for a cartoony style as well. It's Koopa Fallacy."
"No, the same accounts asking for realism are also asking for a cartoony style as well. It's Koopa Fallacy."
by JG.Jr September 24, 2025
Get the Koopa Fallacy mug.The Skill Issue Fallacy is when a person, who via indirect means of exposure, says that a certain media is bad, then when they finally get to experience it, they don’t take it seriously because of their low expectations. This leads to them having an objectively unenjoyable time, later reinforcing their unproven belief that the certain media is bad and continuing the loop.
The Skill Issue Fallacy can be found most often in debates about similar video games, such as between Terraria and Minecraft, Valorant and Counter Strike, etc. While the fallacy is not inherent towards a specific group of players or fandoms, reviews from people with no prior, direct experience with the media, people who had an initial, coincidental negative experience, or reviewers who previously fell victim to the Skill Issue Fallacy while consuming said media, exhibit noticeable traces of the fallacy. Some examples are, but not limited to: vague/irrelevant/a lack of evidence (“Terraria sucks because its 2D graphics are bad”), cherry picked reasons (“Valorant’s ability mechanic sucks because of the lack of balancing”), and reaching (“Minecraft’s community sucks”).
This fallacy doesn’t have just limited to a few individuals either. Large groups of people can be deluded and herded into the fallacy because of viral videos posted by those who fell for the fallacy prior, causing a chain reaction of falling for the fallacy when the target media is sometimes actually peak.
The Skill Issue Fallacy can be found most often in debates about similar video games, such as between Terraria and Minecraft, Valorant and Counter Strike, etc. While the fallacy is not inherent towards a specific group of players or fandoms, reviews from people with no prior, direct experience with the media, people who had an initial, coincidental negative experience, or reviewers who previously fell victim to the Skill Issue Fallacy while consuming said media, exhibit noticeable traces of the fallacy. Some examples are, but not limited to: vague/irrelevant/a lack of evidence (“Terraria sucks because its 2D graphics are bad”), cherry picked reasons (“Valorant’s ability mechanic sucks because of the lack of balancing”), and reaching (“Minecraft’s community sucks”).
This fallacy doesn’t have just limited to a few individuals either. Large groups of people can be deluded and herded into the fallacy because of viral videos posted by those who fell for the fallacy prior, causing a chain reaction of falling for the fallacy when the target media is sometimes actually peak.
“Mark fell victim to the skill issue fallacy the other day, he finally got around to try Roblox but half-assed his attempt to find a good game cause he thinks everyone’s either a pedo or a scammer. What an idiot. He was two scrolls away from Entry Point.”
by asdffrfrnocap September 27, 2025
Get the Skill Issue Fallacy mug."The Oort Cloud Fallacy occurs when someone argues that something must exist or be true simply because it is theoretically possible or hasn't been definitively disproven—especially when the claim is distant, vague, or unverifiable. The fallacy draws its name from the Oort Cloud: a hypothetical region of icy bodies surrounding the solar system that has never been directly observed but is widely accepted due to indirect evidence."
"Hey John, do you believe God exists." "We have no proof he doesn't so he must." "Oort Cloud Fallacy."
by TwinArchive September 28, 2025
Get the Oort Cloud Fallacy mug.The Idiots Fallacy is a logical fallacy where somebody names a logical fallacy instead of formulating an argument; it's a form of The Fallacist's Fallacy mixed with Virtue Signalling and Gaslighting.
Guy: "I just went out to my car, sat down and turned the key, and it didn't start!"
Idiot: "Slippery Slope Fallacy!"
Guy: "No, that's just the Idiots Fallacy."
Idiot: "Slippery Slope Fallacy!"
Guy: "No, that's just the Idiots Fallacy."
by Dr Natterjacks October 8, 2025
Get the Idiots Fallacy mug.The misconception that a robot or AI's behavior can be attributed to excessive "screen time", similar to how it affects human children, ignoring the fundamental differences in programming, autonomy, and design between machines and humans. It's just a matter of coincidence that such humanoid robot was conceived and "born" at a lab with as many screens as a sci-fi spaceship.
Blaming the humanoid robot's inappropriate actions on a 'screen time fallacy' is just ridiculous; it’s not like it was sitting in front of an iPad binging brainrot contents!
by Emotional Cruiser October 16, 2025
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