What is the Fallacy?
From a letter to the editor: "The counties of Michigan clearly need the ability to raise additional sources of revenue, not only to meet the demands of growth but also to maintain existing levels of service. For without these sources those demands will not be met, and it will be impossible to maintain services even at present levels".
The statement presents two premises and a conclusion. Look at each of these to see if they are based in fact. Then look at the conclusion to see if it is based on these facts.
Check this site. It is an easy explanation of the most common fallacies.
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/fallacies.html
The fallacy in the given statement is known as a false dilemma fallacy. A false dilemma fallacy occurs when only two options are presented as the possible choices, neglecting other alternatives that may exist.
In this case, the author argues that the counties of Michigan need to raise additional sources of revenue in order to meet the demands of growth and maintain existing levels of service. They then state that without these sources, the demands will not be met and it will be impossible to maintain services even at present levels. This argument sets up a false dichotomy, suggesting that the only possibilities are to raise additional revenue or face the inability to meet demands and maintain services.
However, this argument fails to consider other alternatives, such as cutting unnecessary expenditures, improving efficiency, or finding alternative funding sources. The fallacy lies in presenting only two options without considering the possibility of exploring other solutions.
To identify this fallacy, one must recognize when an argument presents limited choices, ignoring other possible options or oversimplifying the situation. By understanding the different types of logical fallacies, one can effectively analyze arguments and recognize when they may be faulty.