The Multiple Untruth

From SkepticWiki

1 Definition
2 Examples
3 Discussion
4 Exceptions to the Rule
5 Related Links
6 Further Reading

[edit] Definition

The Multiple Untruth consists of presenting so many statements that they are impossible to keep in the mind at once. It may be possible to select a small number of statements and show them to be false, but this will give the impression that only those statements are false.

[edit] Examples

[edit] Discussion

Creationists are notorious for staging "debates" against evolutionary biologists in which they employ this tactic. In general, it takes roughly 30 seconds to make a specious argument against evolution, but it takes about 5 minutes to adequately explain why the argument is specious. In a one hour debate where each participant gets half an hour to make his case, a Creationist will have enough time to make 60 of these half-minute-long specious arguments, while the evolution proponent will only have enough time to debunk about 6 of them. To the layman in the audience, the 54 Creationist arguments left unanswered will seem like a clear "win" for the Creationism side of the debate.