Knock-On Bias

A bias derived from the Scientific Slippery Slope, describing the belief that each acceptance of a non‑scientific claim will “knock on” to produce a cascade of subsequent acceptances, much like a knock‑on effect in physics where one collision triggers another. Knock‑on Bias assumes a mechanistic chain of causality where the initial event deterministically produces a series of outcomes, leaving no room for agency or contextual factors. It is frequently used to argue for zero‑tolerance policies toward any belief or practice labeled “unscientific.”

Knock-On Bias Example: “The policy banned all discussions of alternative medicine in schools based on knock‑on bias: the assumption that even mentioning it would lead students to reject conventional medicine entirely.”

by Dumu The Void March 25, 2026