Yet, this headline, which could have been written by the author of the story, CBC’s Aaron Wherry, or by someone at Google news, unnecessarily undermines the significance of Scheer’s victory; and underscores the headline writer’s possible biases, intellectual laziness, or apparent ignorance of other possible reasons Scheer was elected, besides being just a ‘safe’ or ‘smart’ choice.
Only One or the Other?
Why does Scheer’s election have to be considered only one or the other: a smart choice or a safe choice? Can’t his election be a combined smart choice and safe choice, rolled into one? Can’t there also be other reasons he was elected, in addition to possibly being a ‘smart’ or ‘safe’ choice?
Fallacies Abound
In teaching college students about logical fallacies, or errors in reasoning/errors in thinking, I tell them there are likely at least a hundred or more logical fallacies. Teaching about logical fallacies is typically also a key aspect of many university Philosophy programs, to help students learn to think in broader contexts, and to be more open-minded in their thinking and writing.
Five Common Logical Fallacies
With my college students I focus on five common logical fallacies I contend are used regularly by many average people to convince others their ideas are right or better than others’ ideas; and are also intentionally used by advertisers and politicians to persuade or manipulate people to think or behave in certain ways.
Common Usage Can Be Harmless
In fairness, many people might not know about logical fallacies, so likely don’t use them intentionally, or to be purposely deceptive or malicious. Many people might unknowingly use some logical fallacies in conversation since they can be common and often harmless ways of expressing ideas, and trying to persuade others to think as we do about a certain topic.
The Google news headline in the Andrew Scheer election story (May 27, 2017) used one of the five logical fallacies I discuss with students; the ‘either-or’ fallacy--also known as the ‘black-or-white’ fallacy.
This logical fallacy says clearly or implies there are only two ways to think of a certain topic. This is painfully evident in the Google news headline about Andrew Scheer’s victory as the new leader of the Conservative Party of Canada: “Is Andrew Scheer the smart choice or the safe choice?”
Can Be Intentionally Deceptive
Many people might not realize a news headline writer, or an advertiser or politician, is purposely using a logical fallacy, such as the either-or fallacy, to manipulate them to buy a certain product, or to think a certain way, or to think there are only two reasons something has happened--when there might be various choices or several reasons that something occurred.
Thus, the online news headline about Andrew Scheer’s election as the new Conservative leader, “Is Andrew Scheer the smart choice or the safe choice?,” is illogical, possibly biased, and seemingly deceptive.
Unfair Negative Messages
This mere 10-word headline manages to send three negative messages simultaneously: 1) it implicitly dismisses any other possible positive reasons Scheer won his party's leadership race; 2) it implicitly negates any worthwhile qualities and abilities Scheer brings to his new job; and 3) it implicitly and unnecessarily demeans Scheer's victory over more than a dozen registered competitors.
Why Only Two Options?
When all is said and done, why does Scheer have to be considered either only the smart choice, or only the safe choice? Why can’t he be perceived as the best choice for various thoughtful and/or practical reasons at this point for the Conservative Party?
Disclaimer: My comments here are independent of anyone related to the online Google news story in question, about Andrew Scheer’s election. I am not a member of any political party, I don’t know anyone who knows Andrew Scheer, and I don’t know him and have never communicated to or with him in any way; directly or indirectly. I also don’t know the author of this CBC news story, Aaron Wherry, and I don’t know anyone connected to Google or Google news.
