Freakonomics Radio 545. Enough with the Slippery Slopes!
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Jun 8, 2023 
Dahlia Lithwick, a Senior legal correspondent at Slate Magazine, Chris Tyndale, a philosophy professor specializing in argumentation, and Eugene Volokh, a prominent legal scholar from UCLA, dive into the slippery slope argument. They investigate its application in gun control, abortion, and drug legalization debates. The conversation dissects whether these fears are valid or merely emotional reactions, while exploring historical instances like smoking regulations. They also discuss the media's role in sensationalizing these arguments, highlighting the nuanced impacts on public perception and policy.
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Airline Smoking Ban
- In 1987, Congress banned smoking on short flights due to tobacco industry fears of chaos.
- However, the ban's success led to a full smoking ban on all U.S. flights.
Smoking Ban's Economic Impact
- The tobacco industry used slippery slope arguments against indoor smoking bans, claiming it would destroy businesses.
- They predicted mass unemployment and loss of tourism, but studies later showed the opposite effect.
Same-Sex Marriage Slippery Slope
- During the same-sex marriage debate, opponents used slippery slope arguments, claiming it would lead to incest and polygamy.
- Dahlia Lithwick criticized this as a parade of horribles, not a valid legal argument.