Perfectionist Fallacy
The perfectionist fallacy is similar to the false dilemma fallacy. False dilemma argues that there are only two possible options for a situation; whereas the perfectionist fallacy suggests two options for finding a perfect solution, and then rejects alternatives that will not work perfectly. One argument that often revolves around the perfectionist is Drinking and Driving law. Some people argue that it’s pointless to have laws against drinking and driving because there is no guarantee that a law will perfectly eliminate drinking and driving. If all drinking and driving violations cannot be stopped, why bother?
When discussing gun law, the former Governor of Florida, Jeb Bush, stated, “A child drowns in a pool and the impulse is to pass a law that puts fencing around pools. Well, it may not change
it…” He continues to explain that the fencing does not solve the problem, rather it imposes burdens on the rest of the population. His analogy is an example of the perfectionist fallacy, his reasoning stands that if we cannot have absolute gun control, nothing else will do and it creates a situation that is not fair to those who don’t have a problem (i.e. they don’t have kids to fall in their pool; they are responsible, law abiding gun owners). When he was asked to comment on the school shooting in Oregon all he said was “stuff happens” and that you shouldn’t rush into making laws against it because passing laws doesn’t guarantee the problem will be solved.