User:Arp242/Frankenstein fallacy

Cogito ergo sum Logic and rhetoric

Key articles

Logical fallacy Syllogism Argument

General logic

Syllogism Improbable things happen Association fallacy Argumentum ad dictionarium Gambler's fallacy Conjunction fallacy

Bad logic

Slippery slope Fallacy fallacy Anecdotal evidence Appeal to pity Fallacy of accent Not an argument v - t - e

A Frankenstein fallacy is a logical fallacy that occurs when the diverse views within a group of people are assumed to occur in one representative member of the group, typically with the aim to present the group members as being hypocritical, holding double standards or inconsistent views. The fallacy also occurs when someone is falsely accused of using a motte and bailey doctrine.

The fallacy is a fallacy of division and an informal fallacy.

Example

“”Christians say they believe in God as an impersonal "Ground of Being", but then they turn around and pray to God, as if this was a person.

While some Christians believe in God as a ground of being and others as a personal savior, very few believe in both at the same time.

Explanation

The fallacy is related to the straw man, but unlike it, the views really exist in different individuals of the group, just not in this particular configuration in one person. It is thus like a Frankenstein monster pieced together from different parts, that originally belonged to different people. Noting hypocrisy, double standards or inconcistency in that way is not always a Frankenstein fallacy, for when a group has some shared values, it can be expected (sometimes) that the members duke it out whether they accept conflicting versions of beliefs.