The act of shutting down an argument by simply naming a logical fallacy (e.g., "strawman!", "ad hominem!", "slippery slope!") without explaining how it applies or addressing any remaining substantive points. This treats formal logic as a trump card, allowing the player to feel intellectually superior and declare victory while often committing the "fallacy fallacy" (assuming a conclusion is false because the argument contains a fallacy). It's debate as pedantic gotcha, not pursuit of truth.
Example: User A makes a valid point about policy but uses a slightly emotional analogy. User B replies, "Wow, textbook false equivalence fallacy card. Conversation over." User B has performed a hollow victory ritual without engaging with the policy point's merits, using logic jargon as a conversational kill switch.
by Abzugal February 3, 2026
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