date

1819 Aug. 12 Fallacies Ch | | Logical
1819 Aug. 12

Fallacies Ch | | Logical High-fliers

5

1 Exposition

1 Corruption Intendate[?] 1 Tyranny Unpre[...?]ed rule

Law, Conflation[?] &c

In

The fallacy consists in making use of a name of lax import without applying to it those /such/ limitations as would be necessary to confine what is said /predicated/ of it with the pale of truth: and on that account wherever /on every occasion on which/ the language affords a name by the use of which that which is predicated would be confined within the pale of truth, avoiding the use of this /such/ precisely proper term.

By this expedient, by lumping under the same more extensive name objects that are indefensible /plainly favourable/, it /which under their precise and appropriate/ presents them to view as innoxious. In this case, what the object for which there is a precise name is a sort of fouls spot, the lax name serves as a sort of cloak to it.

Examples Foul shot, tyranny; cloak, Order foul spots, Election corruption, and Election terrorism; cloak, influence.

Thus though you could not praise as useful nor so much as vindicate as innoxious tyranny under its own name: under the name of order, you may not only vindicate but even praise it. Maintenance of order you may say ought on every occasion to be among the objects of government. But by these same practices /arrangements/ by which tyranny is exercised order is maintained. Thus by causing maintenance of order to be indiscriminately and in all cases regarded as a justifiable, and even laudable exercise of the power of government, you cause the exercise of tyranny to be regarded on many occasions as a justifiable and even laudable exercise of the powers of government.
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  • Title: [1819 Aug. 16 Fallacies 11]
    Description: 1819 Aug. 16

    Fallacies

    11

    Ch. Logical

    5 ยง.2. Exposure

    Order

    Among the several cloudy appellatives which have been mentioned already as being commonly employed as cloaks one of them presents a claim to special notice, in respect of the peculiar nature of the foul /a special/ spot, to which it is peculiarly adapted /in a peculiar degree/ to serve as a covering.

    The cloak in question is /composed/ the word Order: the foul spot it is in so peculiar a degree adapted to the purpose of covering is tyranny

    At first sight other words may present themselves as being in an equal degree capable of being employed as claoks for the same foul spot: namely Law, and Government. 1[?] But for the covering of a spot so preeminently foul, the most cloudy appellative that can be found - the appellative of which the import is most loose and indeterminate and lax is manifestly preferrable to every other. Now[?] Order is more extensive than Law or even than Government: for the works of law[?] we have no others than laws: to the extension of such measures or arrangement of government as do not some under that denomination: and if /when[?]. measures or arrangements of government are spoken of, the word government may be apt to present itself as putting an exclusion upon the idea of laws: as meant to bring to view such measures or arrangements of government as are not laws
  • Title: [1819 Aug. 12 Fallacies Logical High]
    Description: 1819 Aug. 12

    Fallacies Logical High fliers

    6

    1 Exposition

    In another way this word order by its property of confounding distinctions gives support to tyranny: namely where /occasion seems to call for speaking of/ the proper end of government is in question, instead of the precise name of the proper end, namely happiness, employing this same most convenient /so conveniently lax/ word, order. For it can not be denied that promotion of order is one end of government can not be denied: at the same time neither can it be denied that by the exercise of /acts by which tyranny is exercised/ order namely tyrannical order is maintained: maintained and promoted.

    And so in the case of corruption and influence

    In this way when /by/ looking out for a word of more extensive import to take refuge in, while you turn aside from the proper word two words come into consideration together. Self-protection or Self-preservation is the more immediate object of the fallacy in this case.
  • Title: [1819 Aug. 13 ult Fallacies Ch | |]
    Description: 1819 Aug. 13 ult

    Fallacies Ch | | Logical High-flyer

    7

    1. Exposition

    2. Order - maintenance of Order.

    Foul spot, tyranny: cover, Order, or upon occasion good order

    Be the tyranny ever so excruciating, still by the maintenance of it the tyranny it can not be denied but that order is maintained.

    Order maintenance of order are accordingly favourite phrases on the /European/ Continent of Europe in the mouths of the despot and their instruments: under the English Constitution not unfrequent, especially among the avowed advocates of despotism.

    Sometimes by way of reason, when some arrangement for the effectual support of despotism and its tyranny is brought forward, instead of order, good order is the phrase. But by good order it being so obvious that the order whatever it be, and how replete soever with tyranny which it the please of the despot be established is meant - that and nothing better, much is not by this variation gained.

    By some such words as public happiness or somewhat better bidding might be made for public favour than by order alone, or by that word and any other along with it. But in the use of any such phrase as public happiness there is more or less of danger. For by these words men are apt to be put upon the look-out for the effect of the Measure upon human feelings, upon human pains and human pleasures.

    Upon the whole therefore in a public instrument or a private treatise no uninstructive indication may be seen of the disposition /character/ of the penmans mind, when the maintenance of order is spoken of as

    the

    the object he has in view: of the word order, whether the expletive good be or be not added to it.

    2. Forms.