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A fallacy is a claim that may sound convincing but is actually based on flawed reasoning. Sweeping statements about Yoga are often made that lack substantiation by reason, experience, or scriptural testimony
Fallacy of False Equivalence
It occurs when an erroneous equivalence is drawn between two terms. It’s perhaps the most common fallacy in popular Yoga narrative, with a frequent error being the equating of physical flexibility with spiritual progress
Eg: The ability to perform complex asanas is often erroneously seen as directly proportional to one’s level of spiritual advancement
Bandwagon Fallacy
It involves claiming that a certain thing is right simply because it’s popular. In my observation, this is one of the most prevalent fallacies in the modern Yogic world, largely due to the influence of social media
Eg: Assuming that a practice is authentic Yoga solely because it’s trending on social media
Hasty Generalization Fallacy
It occurs when a conclusion is drawn from a small sample without considering a broader range of evidence. It’s akin to making significant assumptions based on insufficient information
Eg: Making a generalized claim like “Yoga is an eight-limbed path” solely because one has studied the Ashtanga Yoga of Patanjali, without accounting for other Yogic systems that are not ‘eight-limbed’
Presentism Fallacy
It involves depicting the past as if it were the same as the present, ignoring historical context. Such narratives overlook the different priorities of people in the past compared to today
Eg: Assuming that ancient Yogis approached Yoga through physical practices since modern practitioners often start with asanas
Equivocation Fallacy
Words can have various meanings, changing with context and time, especially in Yogic terminology. Using a single term to convey different meanings or disregarding context can lead to fallacious reasoning
Eg: The term ‘Chitta’ in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra refers to the entire mind, while in Vedantic literature, ‘Chitta’ mainly denotes memory. Substituting or ambiguously using both meanings can lead to this fallacy
