Genetic Fallacy Examples in Media, Real Life, Politics, News & Ads

Genetic Fallacy

Genetic Fallacy Definition

The genetic fallacy is a logical fallacy in which one argues that an idea must be false because it was believed by someone with a different genetic background than the person making the argument. It is the assumption that a trait or characteristic is due to genetic causes when it may, in fact, be caused by environmental factors.

The genetic fallacy is a non-sequitur. It is when someone assumes that because something originated from a bad source, it must be bad/evil. There are many cases where religious people commit this fallacy.

The genetic fallacy is a logical fallacy that occurs when someone draws an inference about the character or quality of a person based on their family members, genetic background, or race.

For example, “I’m not going to hire you because your father was fired from this company.”

Genetic Fallacy Examples

Genetic Fallacy example in History & Philosophy

Examples of Genetic Fallacy in history & Philosophy:

One of the most common examples used for this is the theory of evolution. They say that since Darwin’s theory of evolution came from an atheist, then that is why we don’t trust it.

Another example;  if someone has an illness and they are told that it’s because their genes are defective while not taking into account any other possible reasons for the illness.

A person who makes this type of mistake would be committing a genetic fallacy.

Genetic Fallacy Real-Life Examples

Genetic Fallacy in Real Life:

The genetic fallacy is a term used in logic to describe the error of reasoning from an individual case or example to a general conclusion.

For instance, if one observes that all Jones family members are very tall, it would be invalid to conclude that all people who have red hair will also be tall.

The genetic fallacy occurs when there is no logical connection between the sample and population as a whole

Genetic Examples in Media

Examples of Genetic Fallacy in Media:

A genetic fallacy is a logical fallacy that occurs when someone makes an argument based on the origins of something rather than its current meaning or context. This type of error in reasoning can be seen in many media outlets, including newspapers and television news programs.

 For example, if a person were to say, “The police officer shot my son because he was black,” this would not necessarily be true just because the officer is also black.

Genetic Fallacy Examples in Commercial & Advertising

Genetic Fallacy in Commercial & Advertising:

The genetic fallacy is a type of logical fallacy where the conclusion is drawn from an argument that relies on its origins or history rather than its content.

An example of the genetic fallacy in commercials would be when a company advertises their product as “the best” because it has been around for years, and people have grown up with it.

Genetic Fallacy in Politics

Examples of Genetic Fallacy in Politics:

For example, if Bill believes that all politicians are corrupt and Hillary is a politician, then his belief must be incorrect because he has different genetics from Hillary.

Genetic Fallacy examples in Movies

Examples of Genetic Fallacy in Movies:

The genetic fallacy is the act of using a person’s race, ethnicity, or nationality to discredit their argument.  This type of fallacy can be seen in movies when characters with a different background than the protagonist are portrayed as villains.

For example, in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Darth Vader is played by an English actor and speaks with an American accent. In contrast, Princess Leia is played by a British actress and has an American accent.

 Genetic Examples in Literature

Examples of Genetic Fallacy in Literature:

The genetic fallacy is a logical fallacy where the origin of an idea or argument is attacked instead of its merits.  It’s often used to dismiss new ideas that are different from established norms as if they’re automatically wrong just for being different.

An example in literature would be when people criticize Shakespeare’s plays because he was born into a wealthy family and didn’t have any experience with common people.

Genetic Examples in News

Examples of Genetic Fallacy in News:

The genetic fallacy is an informal logical fallacy that occurs when one infers a conclusion based on the origin of the idea rather than its current meaning or context.

For example, “I’m not going to read this article because someone with a degree in journalism wrote it.”

This is fallacious reasoning because degrees do not determine truthfulness.

Related Resources :

Moving the Goalposts Fallacy

Black and White Fallacy Examples