Of the recent Google backlash blog entries that I've seen; almost all of them seem to fall into a few categories full of logical fallcies:
- They cite Dave Winer as somebody who doesn't like Google anymore and therefore it makes sense for you to not like Google. The logical fallacy here is: http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/appeal-to-authority.html
- They say that others have an oogie feeling and therefore Google must be bad. The logical fallacy here is: http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/appeal-to-fear.html
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They say that Google must fully disclose all of it's practices or else it is actively engaged in wrongdoing. Multiple fallacies here:
http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/burden-of-proof.html and
http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/questionable-cause.html
- My favorite ones are those that cite the combination of above "arguments" to "prove" that Google must be out to hurt you. The obvious logical fallacy here is: http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/composition.html
I do like the entries that ask for clarification and plan to keep the pressure on. That makes sense to me.
# — 08 March, 2003