Reductio Ad Absurdum Examples in Media, Real Life, Politics, News & Ads

Reductio Ad Absurdum Fallacy

What Is Reductio Ad Absurdum Fallacy?

The argument is reduced to absurdity by the process of successive logical steps.  This may be done by showing that the conclusion logically follows from absurd premises or that it involves an inconsistency with other things known or assumed to be true.

It can also be shown through reductio ad absurdum that the opposite of what was originally proposed must be true.

The process of reasoning from a general principle to a specific conclusion, typically by showing that the consequence of the general principle is absurd.

A method of argument that involves reducing an opponent’s proposition or position to absurdity so as to refute it; in other words, proving its inconsistency with known facts and laws.

The concept of reductio ad absurdum is important in the study of logic because it is an argument that breaks down a claim into its parts to show that the claim cannot be true.

The reductio ad absurdum can take apart any claim, such as the claim “This is a terrible suggestion.”The speaker tries to show that a position they disagree with is absurd by showing it coming to extremely implausible or impossible conclusions.

Reductio Ad Absurdum Examples

Reductio Ad Absurdum Examples in Commercial

Examples of Reductio Ad Absurdum in Commercial:

For example, if someone were arguing against recycling and said, “Recycling doesn’t work because you can’t recycle plastic,” one could respond with, “Yes, but what about all the plastic that isn’t recyclable?”

Reductio Ad Absurdum Real Life Examples

Examples of Reductio Ad Absurdum in Real Life:

Reductio ad absurdum is a logical argument where one assumes the opponent’s position to show that it leads to an absurdity or contradiction.  A common form of reductio ad absurdum is proof by reductio ad absurdum.

For example, if someone says, “The sky is blue,” you can reply with, “If the sky were red, we would be able to see it.”

Reductio Ad Absurdum Examples in Media

Examples of Reductio Ad Absurdum in Media: 

The media often uses reductio ad absurdum to discredit a person or idea by making it seem ridiculous.

For example, if someone is proposing that the government should outlaw all guns, then the media would point out how this would lead to people being unable to defend themselves from criminals and terrorists.

Reductio Ad Absurdum Examples in Advertising

Reductio Ad Absurdum in Advertising: 

Reductio ad absurdum is a logical argument in which one person takes an opponent’s position to its illogical conclusion, demonstrating that any rational thinking cannot maintain the original proposition.

This technique can also be used in advertisements when companies want to prove their product is better than another company’s product. They do so by taking the other company’s product down.

For example, let’s say Company X wants to advertise their new ice cream flavor “Cherry Swirl” against Company Y, who sells “Cherry Chocolate.” In order for Company X to win this argument, they would have to show that their ice cream flavor tastes better or has more nutritional value than Cherry Chocolate.

If both products are of equal quality, then it becomes difficult for either company to use reductio ad absurdum as a form of advertisement.

Reductio Ad Absurdum Examples in Politics

Examples of Reductio Ad Absurdum in Politics:

The Reductio ad Absurdum is a common form of argument in politics that can be used to refute an opponent’s point by showing the logical consequences of their argument.

For example, if someone argues for lowering taxes, you could use reductio ad absurdum to argue against them by saying that this would mean less money for the government and, therefore, it wouldn’t be able to fund public services like police or fire departments.

This type of argument is often used as a rhetorical device because it doesn’t require any evidence and instead relies on logic.

Reductio Ad Absurdum in Movies

Examples of Reductio Ad Absurdum in Movies:

In the movie “The Matrix,” Morpheus asks Neo if he would prefer a red pill or a blue pill. If he takes the red pill, he will wake up in his bed and believe that everything is normal. If he takes the blue pill, however, then Morpheus promises to show him something different.

The idea behind this scene is that by taking one of these pills, they are both absurd choices because either way, you’re going to be woken up from your dream state.

Reductio Ad Absurdum Examples in Literature

Examples of Reductio Ad Absurdum in Literature:

The Reductio Ad Absurdum is a form of argument that demonstrates an opponent’s position’s absurdity by following it to its logical conclusion.

In literature, this can be seen in Shakespeare’s Hamlet when Hamlet uses reductio ad absurdum to argue with Gertrude about her marriage to Claudius.

He argues that she should not marry Claudius because he killed King Hamlet and married his mother.

Reductio Ad Absurdum Examples in News

Examples of Reductio Ad Absurdum in News:

A recent example of reductio ad absurdum in the news is the “fact” that the Earth is flat. This idea was disproven by Aristotle, but it has resurfaced recently. People take it seriously because they have not been educated on how to think critically about what they read or see online.

The idea that the Earth is flat could be considered an extreme position because it contradicts centuries of scientific evidence and reasoning from philosophers, mathematicians, and scientists alike who have studied this topic extensively over time.

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