Let me clarify that a little by R Mutt (3.50 / 2) #7 Mon Feb 19, 2007 at 10:26:35 AM EST
We have two, mutually incompatible beliefs: I that free trade leads to employment growth, you that protectionism leads to employment growth.

Let's replace those with two less emotive theories. I say that the world is shaped like a cube, you say that the world is shaped like a banana.

Now I say that because of two things, my theoretical model, and my empirical evidence, the world is shaped like a cube.

You they argue that the assumptions of my theory are wrong, and therefore the world is shaped like a banana.

See the fallacy?

Even if my cube-reasoning is wrong, that doesn't give the banana theory any more credence. It could be that my reasoning is wrong, but the world happens to be cube-shaped anyway.

Without some positive support of your own for the banana theory, there is no reason to believe it.

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