Black & white thinking, yes or no questions, false dicho

[Zzyzx]

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Black and white thinking / yes or no questions / false dichotomies.

Many novice debaters and others pose questions as dichotomies " Is it either this or that " Say yes or no " apparently failing to comprehend that although they may be aware of only two alternatives, others exist OR as a tactic to manipulate debate in their favor. For example:

So, human beings; do we have free will? Yes or no?

An astute person should realize that the two options presented do not exhaust the alternatives available. My response, as a Non-Theist, is that free will is variously defined or identified. Until the exact meaning of free will in the question is established the question cannot be rationally answered.

Another possible response (that is neither yes nor no) might be: I do not have sufficient verifiable information available concerning free will upon which to make a decision.

Or better yet, if you are an atheist, are you freely choosing not to believe in God? Is that a free choice on your part? Yes, or no?

Another false dichotomy. An Atheist need not make a decision ("free will" or not) to disbelieve in God " since Ignosticism (which may be included in Atheism by some) allows the response: We cannot intelligently and rationally discuss gods until such things are identified and described (beyond platitudes and flights of fantasy).

Since there are thousands of gods proposed, it is irrational to restrict consideration to only one (half of one percent of the total) OR to repeat the question thousands of times with different god names.

[Kenisaw]

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Black and white thinking / yes or no questions / false dichotomies.

Many novice debaters and others pose questions as dichotomies " Is it either this or that " Say yes or no " apparently failing to comprehend that although they may be aware of only two alternatives, others exist OR as a tactic to manipulate debate in their favor. For example:

So, human beings; do we have free will? Yes or no?

An astute person should realize that the two options presented do not exhaust the alternatives available. My response, as a Non-Theist, is that free will is variously defined or identified. Until the exact meaning of free will in the question is established the question cannot be rationally answered.

Another possible response (that is neither yes nor no) might be: I do not have sufficient verifiable information available concerning free will upon which to make a decision.

Or better yet, if you are an atheist, are you freely choosing not to believe in God? Is that a free choice on your part? Yes, or no?

Another false dichotomy. An Atheist need not make a decision ("free will" or not) to disbelieve in God " since Ignosticism (which may be included in Atheism by some) allows the response: We cannot intelligently and rationally discuss gods until such things are identified and described (beyond platitudes and flights of fantasy).

Since there are thousands of gods proposed, it is irrational to restrict consideration to only one (half of one percent of the total) OR to repeat the question thousands of times with different god names.

It is irrational, but since that 0.5% is the one they are most familiar with, that is naturally the one that gets most of the air time. It has been pointed out many times on this site the illogical conclusion that is rejecting all the other divine entities in favor on one with NONE of the options having any support whatsoever for their claims.

By the way, I agree that the jury is still out on the free will thing. Lots of interesting reading on that topic for those that are curious.