Abstract

This chapter focuses on one of the common fallacies in Western philosophy called ' if by whiskey'. The if by whiskey fallacy is a kind of deception by double talk in which one supports both sides of an issue by using terms that are selectively emotionally sensitive. The name derives from a 1952 speech made by Noah S. “Soggy” Sweat, Jr., a legislator from the state of Mississippi, on the issue of whether Mississippi should continue its prohibition on alcohol. One could argue that this fallacy is a special case of the appeal to emotion fallacy. However, because of its particular use, to avoid answering a question on a controversial matter in a clear and decisive manner, it certainly warrants its own label. The trick to avoiding this fallacy is to take a stand.