Wicked Alternative Fallacy

The wicked alternative fallacy is one of the many smokescreens that are used to cover the fact that the reasoning is based on one of the three fallacies of Agrippa's trilemma. 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 regress, circular reasoning, or axiomatic thinking. This problem is known as Agrippa's trilemma. Some have claimed that only logic and math can be known without Divine revelation; however, that is not true. There is no reason to trust either logic or math without Divine revelation. Science is also limited to the pragmatic because of the weakness on human reasoning, which is known as Agrippa's trilemma.

The Wicked Alternative Fallacy occurs when the first position/alternative is denounced in order to support the second when choosing the second position/alternative is not opposite of the first such that it would solve the problems of the first. Just because one thing is bad, some other thing is not automatically good. This may also use false dichotomy, when other options may be available. This is sometimes erroneously called a false dilemma, however, a dilemma implies that both options are unpleasant.

Examples of the Wicked Alternative Fallacy

"The car culture is ruining the country. What we need is more funding of public transportation like light rail."

This solution doesn't prove that the proposed public transportation would stop the country from being ruined. It also doesn't prove that the car culture is ruining the country.

Bill Nye arguing against Creation science: "You did not, in my view, address fundamental questions. . . .  the fundamental thing that we disagree on . . . is this nature of what you can prove to yourself. This is to say, when people make assumptions . . . they’re making assumptions based on previous experience. . . . So, your view that we’re supposed to take your word for it—this Book, written centuries ago, translated into American English is somehow more important that what I can see with my own eyes, is an extraordinary claim. And, for those watching online especially, I want to remind you that we need scientists, and especially engineers for the future. Engineers use science to solve problems and make things. We need these people so that the United States can continue to innovate and can continue to be a world leader. We need innovation and that needs science education."

This is just an except from the Bill Nye, Ken Ham debate, which is here. Taken in the context of all of Bill's statements, Bill is trying to compare historical science based on Divine revelation (Creation-Thousands-of-Years-Flood) to historical science based on assumptions (Big-Bang-Billions-of-Years-No-Flood-Molecules-to-Man). He is painting history based on Divine revelation as wicked and history based on assumptions as a good thing. His contention is that we won't have any scientists or engineers, scientific advancement will come to an end, America will become a third-world country, etc. if people believe in Divine revelation rather than believing in the assumptions of a select group who are apparently very good at making the right assumptions. Bill has not shown that the assumers will solve any of these problems. He has not shown that those who receive Divine revelation will cause any of the stated problems. For this reason, he is committing the logical fallacy of the wicked alternative.