Refraction (Bent Thinking) #14

Changing the Subject (Henothesis): Attempting to move the opponent onto a different topic so his argument won’t be attacked. Refutation: It is very difficult to juggle more than one argument at a time. It is much more productive to resolve one specific issue and then move on to the next.  Example:  Bob: Abby, I see your point concerning contraceptive use, but the real issue here is the skyrocketing cost of health care in general. Don’t you think physicians make far too much money? Side Note: The best response if someone uses this on you is to deflect it away and say that you would like to discuss the matter at hand rather than the new subject. Realize that often the reason the other person is changing the subject is because he/she does not have any real defense for their position.