Sweeping Generalization

An argument is constructed in which a simplistic general rule is assumed to be more widely true, therefore an exception is ignored.

Example

Some cats are orange. Therefore all cats are orange.

Some people who own guns are murderers, therefore all gun-owners are murderers.

Some people who drive pick-up trucks are rednecks, therefore all people who drive pick-up trucks are rednecks.

Some rich people are parasitic, swindler greed-heads. Therefore they all are thus.

Weaknesses

This fallacy combines two mistakes:

• Ignoring evidence
• Insisting on a simple rule (the sweeping generalization) when the situation calls for a more complex understanding.

Counterexamples are usually easy to find that disprove the simple rule.

One motivation for sweeping generalization may be a fear of more of the bad kind. So if some people of type X are bad, the arguer fears that more of the bad kind will take hold.

Sweeping generalizations are always and everywhere wrong: Including this one.

Nonsensical form

If it is already established that all X are Y, then a Sweeping Generalization is redundant. For instance, some men are taller than 3 inches, therefore all men are taller than 3 inches.