# Motte and bailey

*Also called: Bait and switch defence*

- **Cluster:** Distraction and distortion — Moving the argument somewhere easier to win
- **Page:** https://fallacy.wiki/fallacy/motte-bailey/
- **In Arabic:** https://fallacy.wiki/ar/fallacy/motte-bailey.md
- **Licence:** CC BY 4.0 — https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

## What it is

Advancing a strong controversial claim, then retreating to a modest one when challenged.

## In the wild

> I only meant the modest claim, not the strong one I was defending.

## How to answer it

Write both versions down and ask which one is being asserted.

## Origin and naming

Coined by philosopher Nicholas Shackel in a 2005 paper, named after the medieval castle: the bailey is the desirable but hard-to-defend courtyard, the motte the dreary but impregnable tower. The arguer enjoys the bailey in good times and retreats to the motte under attack.

## More places it shows up

- A tech executive tells investors the product will 'end traditional banking'; grilled by a journalist, he says he only meant it offers a handy budgeting tool.
- An influencer posts that modern medicine 'cures nothing'; challenged by doctors, she clarifies she just thinks people should eat more vegetables.
- A councillor tells a rally the new development 'will destroy the neighbourhood'; at the planning hearing she says she merely worries about parking pressure.
- A podcaster claims a rival's research is 'fraudulent, not just wrong'; pressed for evidence, he retreats to 'well, I question his methodology'.

## How to spot it

- Notice when a bold claim, once challenged, is reissued as something no one would dispute.
- Notice when the speaker oscillates: adventurous in friendly company, modest under scrutiny.
- Notice when asking 'so do you stand by the strong version?' produces fog instead of yes or no.

## Nearby

- [Straw man](https://fallacy.wiki/fallacy/straw-man.md)
- [Moving the goalposts](https://fallacy.wiki/fallacy/moving-goalposts.md)
- [Equivocation](https://fallacy.wiki/fallacy/equivocation.md)

## Read more

- [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motte-and-bailey_fallacy)

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From fallacy.wiki — a bilingual field guide to 91 logical fallacies, published by phi holdings. Licensed CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/): reuse freely with attribution to fallacy.wiki.