False Dilemma
Presenting only two options when more exist.
- informal
- presumption
A false dilemma (or false dichotomy) frames a situation as having only two mutually exclusive outcomes, ignoring the full range of possibilities. It pressures a choice between extremes when middle grounds or alternatives are available.
Examples
- “Either we cut the entire budget or the company goes bankrupt.”
- “You're either with us or against us.”
Why it works & how to counter
Persuasive because it simplifies a hard decision into a clean binary. Counter it by naming a third option or a spectrum the framing left out.