Undistributed Middle Re: On Selective Pacifism & other Oddities

Yoshie Furuhashi furuhashi.1 at osu.edu
Fri Nov 30 07:38:45 PST 2001


Carrol says:


>One other objection to the term "selective pacifism" is that it goofs up
>the meaning of the word "pacifism" as used by 'real' and consistent
>self-labelled Pacifists. Members of the Mennonite Church, for example.
>And in anti-war coalitions it is really quite important to keep these
>terms reasonably straight so that members of those coalitions can talk
>to each other with some minimal clarity. Miscommunication could have
>seriously disruptive consequences.
><snip>
>But Max is trying by sheer violence (and I think considerable historical
>distortion) to apply the generic term "pacifist" (specifically qualified
>with "selective") to persons who never were nor never called themselves
>pacifists of any kind.

It's a logical fallacy called "undistributed middle":

E.g., "All pacifists oppose this war. Mr. Carrol Cox oppose this war. Therefore, Mr. Cox is a pacifist, and a 'selective' one to boot."

Logic is the first casualty of this war. -- Yoshie

* Calendar of Anti-War Events in Columbus: <http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/calendar.html> * Anti-War Activist Resources: <http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/activist.html> * Student International Forum: <http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/> * Committee for Justice in Palestine: <http://www.osu.edu/students/CJP/>



More information about the lbo-talk mailing list