Abstract

This chapter focuses on one of the common fallacies in Western philosophy called moving the goalposts (MG). This fallacy is typically committed when the three conditions are met: Person A requests Person B to meet a certain goal; Person B fulfills the goal; and instead of admitting that Person B has met the goals or has discharged the conditions of the contract, Person A stipulates even further goals. Focusing on the Archaeopteryx fossil, the goalposts are shifted when it comes to the interpretations of it. Scientists who conclude that it is a genuine transitional fossil require that it shows features of dinosaurs and of birds, which the Archaeopteryx does. The most straightforward way in which this fallacy can be avoided only requires a few steps, but these are such that they need to be completed beforehand. The chapter also discusses all these steps.