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reductio-ad-absurdum
January 27th, 2012
(Latin “reduction to the absurd”)
The “reductio” describes an argumentative tactic where the benefit of the doubt is given to the argument. From there it is demonstrated that it leads to an absurd conclusion. This type of argument can be used both constructively and fallaciously. The fallacious side of it assumes that the absurd conclusion is truly absurd in that it must be wrong. For example, one might use the reductio in an attempt to prove that God does not exist saying, “If God made everything, who made God?” A more neutral use of the reductio may be illustrated by a response to the belief that the “sons of God” in Gen. 6 were really angels who fell and had sexual relations with women producing a race of giants. The reductio might go something like this, “If angels can have sex with women, then all angels are men with sexual appetites and functionality. As well, if they did it then, maybe they do it today. Maybe Andre the Giant was half man and half demon.” While this might have some force, it lacks determining force which is a characteristic of most arguments ad absurdum outside of mathematics.’, ‘reductio ad absurdum
