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Old 11-25-2010, 11:38 PM   #486
jammies
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Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger View Post
Can't do it because there isn't anything. That is why I think Godwin's law is stupid. Especially since since it is always in a pejorative sense. People naturally bring it up. There is no big discovery that Godwin made..
"As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1."

I think you don't understand what the Law is. If I say "Cecil Terwilliger likes dogs - well, Hitler liked dogs too. Coincidence?" - that's an instance of Godwin's Law. Just calling you Hitler, or insinuating you were a card-carrying Nazi wouldn't be. Nor would discussing WWII in general.

Essentially it's a special case of ad hominem or guilt by association, where you attack a person by noting that Nazis had similar opinions. And it doesn't really have to be Nazis either, arguments like "the Soviet Union had universal health care, therefore since you advocate universal health care you must be a communist" is just Godwinning with a twist.
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