Division fallacy:
Conceptual Fallacy
| Definition | Example |
| When one claims that something true of an entire thing must also be true of all or some of its parts. | Because a brain possesses thoughts, and a brain is composed of neurons, therefore these neurons pass thoughts back and forth. |
| Also known as: distribution fallacy | |
| Notes | |
| This is the converse of the composition fallacy. | |
Case Study One
Were someone to argue “Canada’s GDP is 10% of the GDP of the U.S., so the average Canadian makes only 10% of what the average American makes”, they would be committing the division fallacy.
Case Study Two
If you were to suggest that, because 50% of Japanese believe in ghosts, the average Japanese is only half-certain that ghosts exist, you would be committing the division fallacy.
Keep in mind that a fallacious argument does not entail an erroneous position.
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