Fallacy

21 Forestalling Disagreement
The fallacy here lies in the attempt to make an opponent or an audience unwilling to meet the argument. Adults usually have learned to avoid needless quarrels and to steer clear of embarrassment. So they develop skill in phrasing their ideas in ways that will forestall disagreement, and in turn are silenced by the implied threat contained in assertions that are phrased to make disagreement embarrassing. Many expressions such as "it is obvious," "everybody knows," "clearly," "of course," "as any one can see," serve the double purpose of assuring the audience that it is not necessary to think about the problem and cowing those with the temerity not to go along. One who protests, "It isn't obvious to me!" runs the danger of appearing ignorant or boorish. Other means for forestalling disagreement are flattery of the audience ("I don't need to tell an intelligent group like this . . ."), appeals to the desire to be agreeable ("I believe everyone will agree that . . ."), appeals to the desire to be respectable ("Every decent American wants . . ."), and so on. Forestalling disagreement ranges from mild devices calculated to make agreement easy ("Of course we all believe . . .") to highly prejudicial assertions to intimidate opposition ("Only a muddled headed person would suggest . . ."). They are characteristically question begging (see #49),
EXAMPLE COMMENT
"It is obvious," argues Peter, "that unless scientific research is subsidized, the whole country will suffer." Whether or not "the whole country will suffer" is what Peter should be busy trying to prove. "It is obvious" is a mild attempt to forestall disagreement.
A teacher observes to his class, "Even a freshman realizes that great artists are not necessarily good draftsmen." Further discussion is all but precluded here.
The Governor addresses the state legislature: "The state budget this year is the largest ever submitted to the legislature of this state. There are, as always, items and details in it of which I do not approve. No doubt some of you will find other items and other details of which you disapprove. Yet the keen sense of responsibility which has been so evident in this legislature is a guarantee to the people of this state that the needs provided for by this budget will be met." Flattery seems to be the chief ingredient of the Governor's approach. The suggestion that the legislature's "sense of responsibility" assures passage of the budget is an attempt to forestall opposition to its provisions. Even this flattery seems designed to intimidate.

EXAMPLE	COMMENT
"It is obvious," argues Peter, "that unless scientific research is subsidized, the whole country will suffer."	Whether or not "the whole country will suffer" is what Peter should be busy trying to prove. "It is obvious" is a mild attempt to forestall disagreement.
A teacher observes to his class, "Even a freshman realizes that great artists are not necessarily good draftsmen."	Further discussion is all but precluded here.
The Governor addresses the state legislature: "The state budget this year is the largest ever submitted to the legislature of this state. There are, as always, items and details in it of which I do not approve. No doubt some of you will find other items and other details of which you disapprove. Yet the keen sense of responsibility which has been so evident in this legislature is a guarantee to the people of this state that the needs provided for by this budget will be met."	Flattery seems to be the chief ingredient of the Governor's approach. The suggestion that the legislature's "sense of responsibility" assures passage of the budget is an attempt to forestall opposition to its provisions. Even this flattery seems designed to intimidate.