1. The government said it, so it must be a lie.

2. The government denied it, so it must be true.

Both of these are errors in reasoning. Yes, there is a long history of falsehood being presented as truth by those in political power, and truth being vociferously denied by government agents. However, specific instances do not constitute universal proof, and the immediate leap to assuming a conspiracy theory is an intellectual hindrance.

It is wise to be skeptical of any official pronouncement and question the impartiality of any government-funded study. The burden of proof is always borne by the one making the positive assertion, and no exceptions can be made for State mouthpieces. However, even a flawed system can make accurate predictions or offer correct analysis of the facts at times, too.

So if you ever see these arguments presented as though they are in and of themselves proof, be equally skeptical of the anti-government argument.

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