Moving the Goalposts AKA Not a True Scotsman

Lesson Objectives

´ Gain familiarity Moving the Goalpost Fallacy

´ Recognize how it can crop up in climate negotiations

´ Develop understanding of what to do about it

´ Demanding an opponent to address more and more points after the initial counter-argument has been satisfied

´ Changing the parameters of an argument to avoid being wrong ´ Crops up everywhere ´ Relationships

´ Workplace ´ Politics ´ Very common in climate negotiation

Photo by Jonathan Hanna on Unsplash

AKA Not a True Scotsman

Example

I say: "All Scotsmen wear kilts.”

You reply: "My buddy is a Scot, and he never wears a kilt.”

So, I say: "Then your buddy is not a true Scotsman!"

1. Never define Scotsman ´ Definition offered by other party ´ Changes parameters 2. Power gaming ´ We give permission to redefine ´ Cedes power ´ Must agree to terms to stay in discussion ´ Or so you believe 3. But there is no end ´ For every answer move the goalposts Image by 192635 from Pixabay out one more step

A Test

´ May be blind to the tactic ´ Can test ´ Catch yourself saying or feeling ´ "Are they never satisfied?" ´ Likely dealing with the tactic

Image by evondue from Pixabay

Example

I say: "I think that Alberta should take action on climate change.”

I am told: "Albertans don't believe in climate change."

I answer: "I'm an Albertan, and I accept that climate change is real, and we need to take

action."

I am told: "But, you're not a real Albertan. You don't work in energy. You are not a blue-

collar worker. You weren't born here!"

Thinking about the Climate Negotiation Example

´ Parameters keep changing ´ Living in Alberta isn’t sufficient ´ Don't have a say ´ Do the wrong sort of work ´ Don't get a say in framing the discussion ´ Other person can change it at will ´ Not negotiation ´ No-win situation ´ No longer discussion climate action

Image by 35069 from Pixabay

´ Moving goalposts symptom of denial

´ Can morph into depression or anger

´ May seem like negotiation

´ Actually avoiding discussion

´ May seem reasonable

´ Really a no-win situation

´ Can go on for a long time

´ Without intervention

Photo by Jesus Con S Silbada from Pexels

Dos and Don’ts

´ Do open listening ´ Do not offer up facts and figures ´ Not listening ´ Do be patient ´ Working out counter arguments ´ Do ask for clarification ´ Want you to give up ´ Do understand your own position ´ Do not respond with anger ´ Do seek common ground

´ Have a say in framing the discussion ´ Don't need to cede power ´ Should be a fair exchange ´ May get angry ´ May decide you don't need their good will ´ Trolls ´ Have the power to have a meaningful discussion

Photo by Paweł Czerwiński on Unsplash

The Fallacies we Consider

Response Phase Fallacy Unique Common Denial/Depression/ Moving the Goalposts • Frame the discussion • Open listening • Patience Anger Straw Man • Understand your own position Appealing to Hypocrisy • Seek common ground Ad Homonym Argument Bargaining False Balance Irrelevant Expert False Dilemma Cherry Picking Circular Reasoning The Slippery Slope

´ The Moving the Goalpost Fallacy

´ How it crops up in climate negotiations

´ What to do about it