Erosion Bias

A cognitive bias derived from the Scientific Slippery Slope, framing the acceptance of any non‑scientific claim as a gradual erosion of rational capacity. The metaphor is geological: small, seemingly harmless inroads of “irrationality” wear away the bedrock of critical thinking until the whole structure collapses. Erosion Bias ignores that critical thinking is not a uniform layer that can be evenly worn down; people can be skeptical in one domain and traditional in another without losing overall reasoning ability. It is often used to argue against any form of religious or spiritual education in secular settings.

Example: “The school board argued that teaching mindfulness meditation would cause erosion bias, gradually wearing away students’ ability to distinguish science from superstition—despite evidence that meditation does no such thing.”

by Dumu The Void March 25, 2026

Ripple Bias

A cognitive bias derived from the Scientific Slippery Slope, using the metaphor of a stone dropped in water: a single small acceptance of non‑scientific ideas creates ripples that expand outward, eventually affecting unrelated areas of thought. The bias assumes that accepting one “irrational” claim makes one more likely to accept others, even across completely different domains (e.g., believing in acupuncture leads to believing in UFOs). Research on actual belief systems shows such cross‑domain contagion is rare; people compartmentalize. Ripple Bias is often deployed to argue against any compromise with “pseudoscience” in public discourse.

Example: “He claimed that letting the school teach yoga would cause ripple bias—first crystals, then astrology, then flat‑earth—though no such cascade has ever been documented.”

by Dumu The Void March 25, 2026

Domino Bias

A cognitive bias modeled on the domino effect: once the first domino (acceptance of a “small” pseudoscience) falls, a chain reaction will inevitably knock down all subsequent dominos (more dangerous beliefs). Domino Bias assumes an irreversible, linear progression that leaves no room for intervention or independent judgment. It is a favorite of rhetorical alarmists who argue that any tolerance for non‑scientific ideas will lead inexorably to the collapse of rational society. The bias ignores that people can and do stop chains of reasoning at will.

Example: “He warned that using a homeopathic cold remedy was the first domino—next would be vaccine refusal, then abandoning modern medicine entirely. Domino Bias treating a single choice as an unstoppable cascade.”

by Dumu The Void March 25, 2026

Contagion Bias

A bias derived from the Scientific Slippery Slope that treats non‑scientific ideas as infectious diseases that spread from mind to mind, with the first exposure acting as a “carrier” that infects the host and makes them susceptible to further infection. Contagion Bias often appears in discussions about media literacy or education, where any curriculum that includes non‑scientific content is framed as a “vector” spreading irrationality. It ignores that ideas are not diseases; people evaluate, filter, and selectively adopt beliefs based on context, community, and personal values.

Example: “She argued that even mentioning astrology in class would contaminate students’ minds—Contagion Bias treating a cultural concept as a pathogen that requires quarantine.”

by Dumu The Void March 25, 2026

Chain Bias

A cognitive bias that conceives of non‑scientific beliefs as links in a chain: once you accept one link, you are inevitably bound to the next, eventually being dragged down by the whole chain. Chain Bias is closely related to Domino and Knock‑On biases, but it emphasizes the idea of connection—that all non‑scientific beliefs are secretly linked, so accepting one is accepting the entire system. The bias ignores that people often pick and choose beliefs eclectically, forming their own patchworks of ideas.

Example: “He believed that if you accept the possibility of ESP, you are logically committed to accepting all forms of pseudoscience—Chain Bias confusing correlation in his own mind with necessity in everyone else’s.”

by Dumu The Void March 25, 2026

Reaction Bias

A bias derived from the Scientific Slippery Slope, focusing on the perceived inevitability of a severe “reaction” to any tolerance of non‑scientific ideas. The bias holds that if society does not actively oppose even harmless spiritual or alternative practices, a reactionary backlash will install dangerous forms of irrationalism in their place. It treats the public as a pendulum that will swing violently from the first small concession to total unreason unless held in check. Reaction Bias is often used to justify aggressive, confrontational advocacy for scientific orthodoxy.

Example: “He argued that allowing creationist museums in rural areas would trigger a reaction bias—soon they’d be teaching it in public schools. The actual outcome was that the museum sat quietly, attended by few.”

by Dumu The Void March 25, 2026

Trial Bias

A form of cognitive and rhetorical bias where any discussion is treated as a courtroom trial, with one side arbitrarily assigned the burden of proof and held to impossibly high evidentiary standards while the other side merely issues demands. The biased participant acts as judge and prosecutor, constantly moving the goalposts (“prove it,” “that’s not proof,” “source?”) while never offering any evidence for their own position. Trial bias transforms dialogue into an adversarial interrogation where the target is presumed guilty until they meet an unmeetable standard.

Example: “He kept demanding ‘peer‑reviewed evidence’ for every casual observation, yet provided none for his own sweeping claims—trial bias, turning conversation into a rigged courtroom.”

by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal March 25, 2026