PIRIE, MADSEN (2006)(2015) How To Win Every Argument, Bloomsbury, London.
Every schoolboy knows
'You would be amazed what every schoolboy knows. Anxious to secure acquiescence of their controversial claims, disputants solemnly assure their audiences that every schoolboy knows the truth of what they are saying. (93).
The audience, not wishing to made to look ignorant, remains quiet. (93).
People are intimidated by the disputants and arguments.
I have stated in such instances that I refuse to be bullied or 'gooned' in a discussion.
People are 'supposed to keep silent about their doubts'. (93).
Those presenting 'the every schoolboy knows' fallacy push to not be questioned. (93).
This fallacy assumes arguments are true, beyond reasonable evidence presented. (94).
Pirie explains that this fallacy is often used with the term 'obviously'. But the arguments are by no means obvious. (95).
The 'obviously' and every school boy knows type arguments, in my mind are often used by those with limited argumentation on their side, and therefore use this fallacy to attempt to end intellectual opposition.
Seriously? This is obvious! States this fallacy.
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