Refraction (Bent Thinking) #65

 Appeal to Novelty  (argumentum ad novitam) –  where a proposal is claimed to be superior or better solely because it is new or modern.  Refutation:  Solutions are proposed actions that affect the future in a way to produce a specific state. There is no way to know if a particular solution will work or if it is better or worse than another that is proposed. Example: Annette: Bart, the old solutions to poverty haven’t worked. The new proposal by the Progressives has to be better than the old failed attempts.   Side Note: By definition, conservatism tends to value and hold to the standards, morals, systems of the past and propose solutions from that basis. Liberalism tends to not feel bound by and therefore held to old standards, morals, or systems, therefore will often use the Appeal to Novelty.  In the political arena, one huge problem is, of course, that once a new program is put into place into society and a structure and support system is constructed and funded, it is hard to tear it down again if it fails. A helpful plan would be to build in automatic program removal after a specific probationary time period.