Our Category Mistake: Why our Talk about Controversy is Confusing

There is significant confusion about what counts as controversy, and clearing up the confusion, as well as teaching students reasoning skills to understand the confusion, may help us to once again see the virtues of discussing controversial issues in our classrooms. Specifically, I argue that we make what Gilbert Ryle (1949) terms a 'category mistake' when we confuse a mere difference of opinion with a genuine controversy. Further, that we make this category mistake allows for and is exacerbated by social media and cancel culture, both of which thrive from so-called fake controversies where anyone can gain instant attention, notoriety, fame, and money.