Godwin's Law
Origin
Formulated by US attorney Mike Godwin in 1990 from observing Usenet-era online debate. Originally a joke, but it has held precise for 30 years. The longer the thread, the closer the probability that someone invokes Hitler. Godwin taught that this comparison signals the end of critical thinking.
Meaning
Extreme comparisons kill logic. "Hitler did that too" is a wildcard that can justify or condemn anything — therefore it means nothing. When a debate reaches this point, it ceases to be debate. Godwin's Law warns against comparison inflation.
Lesson — Meeting Eastern Classics
Analects 15.41: "Speech: convey the meaning, no more." Confucius taught that exaggerated rhetoric clouds meaning. Godwin's Law shows the most extreme form of clouding — analogy obscuring fact.
"較" combines chariot (車) with meeting (交) — placing two chariots side by side, comparing. Analects 2.14: "A gentleman is comprehensive, not comparative." The trap of 較 loses depth.
