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Slipping on slippery slope arguments.

Roberto Fumagalli1,2,3

  • 1Department of Political Economy, King's College London, London, UK.

Bioethics
|March 3, 2020
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Slippery slope arguments (SSAs) are often criticized, but this paper argues against their outright dismissal. Evaluating SSAs case-by-case reveals their context-dependent validity, challenging claims that they should be avoided entirely.

Keywords:
bioethicsfallacieslawpublic policyslippery slope arguments,vagueness

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Area of Science:

  • Philosophy
  • Argumentation Theory
  • Logic

Background:

  • Slippery slope arguments (SSAs) are frequently employed in philosophical discourse.
  • These arguments are often dismissed as fallacious and lacking empirical support.
  • A 'meta-SSA' specifically targets the use of SSAs, advocating for their complete avoidance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To critically examine prominent arguments against the use of SSAs.
  • To identify mechanisms that lead to real-world slippery slopes.
  • To determine the conditions under which SSAs are justifiable.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of existing critiques and meta-level arguments against SSAs.
  • Identification and categorization of real-life mechanisms driving slippery slope scenarios.
  • Case-by-case assessment of the strength and justifiability of SSAs.

Main Results:

  • Prominent calls to avoid SSAs do not withstand critical scrutiny.
  • Several distinct mechanisms contribute to the occurrence of slippery slopes in practice.
  • The validity and justification of SSAs depend heavily on specific contexts.

Conclusions:

  • SSAs should not be universally dismissed; their use requires context-specific evaluation.
  • The existence of slippery slope mechanisms in reality supports the need for careful assessment.
  • The study undermines the broad claim that SSAs should be avoided altogether.