Wednesday, March 3, 2010

True Fallacies

As is often the case with Python humor, this demonstration of the relationship between fallacious inference and humor is based on historical fact.  The scene is based on the life of Matthew Hopkins, the most famous witch finder of his day, who traveled the counties of Essex, Sussex, Huntington, and Norfolk, examining females suspected of witchcraft (fetishism).  Hopkins' ultimate test was that of "swimming."  The hands and feet of the accused were tied together crosswise, after which she was wrapped in a sheet and tossed into a pond. If she sank she was deemed innocent (albeit drowned). If she floated she was deemed guilty and executed.  In one year Hopkins oversaw more than sixty deaths by this means (Ulmer, Electronic Monuments, p. 165).

In our context we notice that the informal syllogism performed in our scene relies upon certain assumptions (beliefs), about the nature of reality, for example, that there are witches.  We may be reminded of D&G's reference to thought as "a witch's flight."  The reference to the inquisitor indicates a need for "fleeing" more than "flying."

Then there is the eponymous "rock/doom" band.


  1. I believe there is no such thing as "informal syllogism". If by syllogism you mean "formal reasoning from two premises to a conclusion", then it would be "informal formal demonstration". Which ... anyway, you got the picture.

    BTW: I'm currently writing my thesis on the relation between humor and fallaciousness. :)

  2. A great topic: you can defend infelicities as demonstrations (in/formal) and accuse detractors of lacking wit. Brilliant!