No True Scotsman Fallacy (CT Scan, Episode 53)

No True Scotsman arguments say that no real member of some group would do something; for instance, no true scientist would reject evolution. These arguments become fallacies when they redefine a key term—like what it means to be a scientist—to avoid counterarguments. Here are some examples of how to recognize and respond to these fallacies.

DIGGING DEEPER
• Lisle, J. (2010). Can creationists be “real” scientists? https://answersingenesis.org/creation-scientists/can-creationists-be-real-scientists/ (Chapter in The New Answers Book 2, available online for free here: https://answersingenesis.org/answers/books/new-answers-book-2/)
• Patterson, R. (2007). What is science? https://answersingenesis.org/what-is-science/what-is-science/ (Chapter in Evolution Exposed: Biology, available online for free here: https://answersingenesis.org/answers/books/evolution-exposed-biology/)
• Bergman, J. (1999). Darwin and the Nazi race holocaust. https://answersingenesis.org/charles-darwin/racism/darwinism-and-the-nazi-race-holocaust/
• Other articles on evolution and morality: https://answersingenesis.org/charles-darwin/racism/

CITED REFERENCES
• 1. MacDonald & Vaughn (2016). Judging scientific theories: Evolution versus creationism. In, The power of critical thinking (4th Canadian ed., pp. 406-410). Don Mills, Ontario, Canada: Oxford University Press.
• 2. Brasseur, A. (2007). “The Dangers of Creationism in Education.” (Report: Committee on Culture, Science and Education, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Document 11375). https://assembly.coe.int/nw/xml/XRef/X2H-Xref-ViewHTML.asp?FileID=11751&lang=EN
• 3. Nieminen, P., & Mustonen, A. M. (2014). Argumentation and fallacies in creationist writings against evolutionary theory. Evolution: Education and Outreach, 7(1), 11.

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