Either – or Dilemma (Black or White Policy)

 Having only two sides or options regarding an issue

 Hides the complexities of an issue

Examples:

 Bush’s demand for Iraq’s surrender of Iraq’s “nuclear weapons”

 Either support him or be a terrorist
o Creates stereotypes
o Makes other nations who do not support him a “terrorist”
o Covers the possibility of being against the issue but not a
“terrorist”

 Either it’s hot today or it’s cold today

 Revels on being hot or cold
o Does not look at other factors like temperature
o Different with either it’s hot today or it’s not hot today because of
logical approach
o Other possible types of weather (humid, windy, rainy, and the like)

 Either p or q; if p then r; if q then r; therefore r

 Limits the use of letters / focuses on r
o No other choice but r
o Doesn’t state the situation

Roy Bacani
Either or Dilemma