I Wish I Had a Magic Wand Fallacy / Feigned Powerlessness

Whenever a logical fallacy is committed, the fallacy has its roots in Agrippa's trilemma. All human thought (without Divine revelation) is based on one of three unhappy possibilities. These three possibilities are infinite regression, circular reasoning, or axiomatic thinking. This is known as Agrippa's trilemma. Some have claimed that only logic and math can be known; however, that is not true. Without Divine revelation, neither logic nor math can be known. Science is limited only to pragmatic thinking because of the weakness of human reasoning, which is known as Agrippa's trilemma. Feigned powerlessness, a form of axiomatic thinking, is one of these three unhappy possibilities.

The I Wish I Had a Magic Wand / Feigned Powerlessness occurs when it is asserted or implied that there is nothing that can be done in cases where there is something that can be done. Note that there are times when a certain person cannot help. There are times when someone should not help. However, this fallacy only applies when someone can help but claims that they cannot help.

Examples of the I Wish I Had a Magic Wand Fallacy / Feigned Powerlessness

Sandra: “I would like to help you, but I just can’t this week. [Sandra could help, but she doesn't like the person who asked her to help.]”

Scripture I Wish I Had a Magic Wand Fallacy / Feigned Powerlessness

Proverbs 3:27: “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.”