The Fat Doctor Podcast The Logical Fallacies That Season Your Holiday Fatphobia
Dec 3, 2025
This holiday season, unravel the tangled web of weight and health misconceptions. Discover how claims equating fat to poor health often stem from logical fallacies. Learn to challenge 'everybody knows' statements and question supposed expert authority. Get insights on how vague language masks weak arguments and perpetuates discrimination. Equip yourself with evidence and nuanced thinking to counter fatphobia from relatives and the media. Prepare to debunk common justifications next time someone tries to pit health against body size!
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Correlation Is Not Causation
- Mistaking correlation for causation is a fundamental logical error when people claim being fat causes poor health.
- Asher Larmie stresses no study has proven causation between fatness and specific diseases.
Population Averages Hide Individual Truths
- The ecological fallacy treats population-level relationships as true for every individual and is misleading.
- Asher Larmie uses US wealth and class averages to show how group data hide individual realities.
Popularity Doesn't Make Claims True
- Popular belief or "everybody knows" arguments are bandwagon fallacies and don't equal truth.
- Asher Larmie warns that many once-popular medical beliefs were later proven wrong.