Unwarranted Assumptions

　　The fallacy of unwarranted assumption is committed when the conclusion of an　argument is based on a premise that is false or unwarranted. An assumption is unwarranted when it is falsethese premises are usually suppressed or vaguely written. An assumption is also unwarranted when　it is true but does not apply in the given contextthese premises are usually explicit.

　　Example：

　　Either restrictions must be placed on freedom of speech or certain subversive elements in society will use it to destroy this country. Since to allow the latter to occur is unconscionable， we must restrict freedom of speech.

　　The conclusion above is unsound because　 subversives do not in fact want to destroy the country the author places too much importance on the freedom of speech the author fails to consider an accommodation between the two alternatives the meaning of freedom of speech has not been defined　

　　The arguer offers two options： either restrict freedom of speech， or lose the country. He hopes the reader will assume that these are the only options a　vailable. This is unwarranted. He does not state how the so-called subversive elements would destroy the country， nor for that matter， why they would　want to destroy it. There may be a third option that the author did not mention; namely， that society may be able to tolerate the subversives and it may even be improved by the diversity of opinion they offer. The answer is 。

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