False Dilemma: When Only Two Options Are Offered

Recognize arguments that hide alternatives by presenting just two choices.

A false dilemma, also called a false dichotomy or either-or fallacy, presents two options as the only possibilities when others exist. It pressures the audience to accept one choice by making the other look unacceptable. Worked example: 'Either we cancel the school trip, or we accept that students will be put in danger. ' This hides alternatives: hiring more chaperones, choosing a safer destination, changing the date, or adding safety rules. Once you see the hidden options, the argument loses its force. Another example: 'You're either with us or against us.

' Many people might partly agree, be undecided, or support a different approach. Not every two-option statement is a fallacy; 'The light is either on or off' describes a genuine binary. The test is whether reasonable middle grounds or third options exist. When you spot an either-or claim, try to list at least two more options before accepting the choice as framed.

• 1A false dilemma hides alternatives behind two choices.
• 2Test whether middle grounds or other options exist.
• 3Some binaries are genuine; check before calling it a fallacy.