# What fallacy is this? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 1, 2010, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fallacy-is-this/548812 "2010-08-01T19:03:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fallacy-is-this/548812/21 "2010-08-04T23:13:28Z")
This was the Complex Question fallacy, _plurium interrogationum_ in Latin, or _omplex-cay interrogationum-way_ in Bullshit, the language in which it normally used. It is not always considered a logical fallacy since it is based on a false assertion of fact, rather than improper logic. The question presumes you have taken the opposite position of the prior statement when you did not. Just like ‘Have you stopped eating your boogers’? ---
**Author:** ![asian\_riff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecccb3/32.png) [@asian\_riff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asian_riff)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fallacy-is-this/548812/22 "2010-08-05T23:52:00Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > > [@asian\_riff](#): > > > > Apparently, “I can’t believe” is throwing people off the scent. > > > > Change it to, “You are saying that SBS’s and RS’s are equally intelligent.” > > > > Is that now clear that he is making an assertion as to what my position is? > > > > Seems clear to me. > > > [@asian\_riff](#): > > > > Does everyone at least agree that if I ask what a person’s evidence is for X, that it does not necessarily mean I believe not-X? That would be a good start. > > What you said is true, but accusing you of having a position that is the opposite of his is not a logical fallacy, it’s just wrong. And he does not use that accusation to further his own position. > > Not every false statement can be attributed to a logical fallacy. But he doesn’t just accuse me of having a position opposite his; he REASONS that I do based on the fact that I asked him for evidence. The first part of the exchange is crucial, not just the last sentence. If I say the moon is made of green cheese, that’s just an incorrect statement. But if I say I know the moon is made of green cheese because all my friends say so, that’s a fallacy, right? ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fallacy-is-this/548812/23 "2010-08-06T00:55:20Z")
> [@asian\_riff](#): > > > [@CookingWithGas](#): > > > > What you said is true, but accusing you of having a position that is the opposite of his is not a logical fallacy, it’s just wrong. And he does not use that accusation to further his own position. > > > > Not every false statement can be attributed to a logical fallacy. > > But he doesn’t just accuse me of having a position opposite his; he REASONS that I do based on the fact that I asked him for evidence. The first part of the exchange is crucial, not just the last sentence. > > If I say the moon is made of green cheese, that’s just an incorrect statement. But if I say I know the moon is made of green cheese because all my friends say so, that’s a fallacy, right? OK. The “fallacy” of concluding that you believe that regular Sneetches are as intelligent as Star-bellied Sneetches is the Strawman (first suggested by **GHO57** far above), which is not a formal logical fallacy but more of a rhetorical device of arguing against a point that your opponent never actually made. There is no fallacy involved in his argument that Star-bellied Sneetches are 30% more intelligent than regular Sneetches, because he never actually makes an argument for it. Perhaps I have misunderstood your question. My responses above assume that you want to know the fallacy of making his point by accusing you of taking the opposite point. It now appears that you want to know the fallacy leading to his conclusion that you are taking the opposite position, which has nothing to do with arguing his original point at all. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-fallacy-is-this/548812.md?page=1)