Problems of Knowledge

PROBLEMS OF KNOWLEDGE

When an argument breaks down because of problems of knowledge it might be in one of these ways:

• Unstated assumptions, or using stated assumptions incorrectly.

• Incorrect definitions, or incorrect use of definitions.

Using an unstated assumption is one way of covering up the fact that you don’t know something. Using an incorrect definition, or using a definition incorrectly, is a way of making an argument easier than it should be, leading to an abundance of straw man and false equivalence arguments.

These ways that a mathematical proof goes wrong are often ways that arguments in real life go wrong as well. Unstated assumptions often occur in arguments about benefits, when some people tacitly assume that people are only poor if they are too lazy to work hard. Or in arguments about abortion when some people assume that unwanted pregnancies only occur if people are promiscuous. Or in arguments about clinical depression when people assume that depression is caused by circumstances and therefore there is no reason a successful person should be depressed.

Problems of incorrect definitions often occur in arguments about immigration, when some people take the definition of “immigrant” to be “illegal immigrant”. In normal life the problems often occur because in fact no definition has been stated. This often happens in arguments about whether some behaviour is “patriotic” or not, or whether something is “sexist”, or whether someone is or isn’t a “feminist”. Or whether something is or isn’t “democratic”.