Equivocation, the use of a single word in multiple ways wit…
Equivocation, the use of a single word in multiple ways without clarity or differentiation between the uses, is one of the most difficult fallacies to catch. It is subtle, and can take many forms, and even the person using the fallacy can be unaware of it.
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One form is where two people are engaging in an argument, and one uses a word consistently in one way, while the other uses that same word consistently in another way.
An example:
"BSV is Bitcoin" vs "You're trying to steal the Bitcoin (BTC) brand!!"
In that example, "BSV is Bitcoin" uses the term "Bitcoin" to refer to the original design, or some variation on that theme.
However, the dissenter uses the term "Bitcoin" to refer specifically to the BTC chain, without regard for the original design.
Seeing and understanding this difference in how people use the term allows you to understand the thought patterns of the individuals in the conversation.
In the above example, the values of each individual are exposed.
Design vs "community consensus"
In this particular example, there are entire paradigms exposed.
Is a thing defined by its nature, or by what people call it?
Can "Bitcoin" change if the chain changes? Or is it only Bitcoin if it remains as designed?
When you start truly listening to people, these are the things that you learn about them. Within a few sentences, I can usually determine the general thought patterns of an individual so long as I am familiar with their general lexicon on a given subject.
This isn't really all that hard. It just takes practice, and attention, much like anything else.
And the benefits are overwhelmingly powerful.