Slippery Slope
Claiming one small step will inevitably lead to a chain of dire outcomes.
- informal
- presumption
A slippery slope argues that a relatively minor first action will set off an unstoppable sequence of increasingly bad events, without justifying why each step must lead to the next. The chain of inevitability is asserted, not demonstrated.
Examples
- “If we let students redo one test, soon they'll expect to retake everything and no grade will mean anything.”
- “Allow this small tax and before long the government will take everything you earn.”
Why it works & how to counter
Persuasive because fear of the worst case is vivid and motivating. Counter it by asking for the evidence that each step actually forces the next.