“Genetic Fallacy”
Trust Me, I’m a Doctor.
What is Genetic Fallacy?
Accepting or rejecting a claim because of who made it.
Business Application
Assessing credibility is important for considering arguments but only serves as one function of the decision making process. When an assessment is based solely on the credibility of the person taking a position on a subject, you set yourself up for disappointment.
“A friend would never take advantage of me. I should trust that they have my best interests at heart.”
Example 1
“Spam will be a thing of the past in two years’ time.”
– Bill Gates
Why This is a Fallacy
One might expect Bill Gates to be well equipped in assessing the future of spam e-mails.
Example 2
“I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.”
– Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM
Why This is a Fallacy
One might expect the chairman of a major computer company would better understand the market demand for their products.
