False Equivalence

Describing similar things as being equivalent when they are actually different in ways that are important in the discussion.

Example

I'm not worried about the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Sometimes I spill some oil when I'm working on my car and nothing bad happens.

When debates are organized between two people who are not equally qualified, this is a type of false equivalence called false balance. For example: a climate change debate between an actual climate scientist and a pundit who does not understand climate science.

Famous Examples

Morty: I just Googled it. Pluto's not a planet. They changed it in 2006.

Jerry: Yeah I heard about that Morty and I disagree. It's possible to disagree in science Morty. Pluto was a planet, some committee of fancy assholes disagree, I disagree back.

Context: Rick and Morty season 1, episode 9 - Something Ricked This Way Comes

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