Appeal Fallacies

Disciplines > Argument > Fallacies > Appeal Fallacies

A common form of fallacy is, rather than to present an objective argument that stands on its own legs, makes some form of appeal, pleading with the listeners to accept a point without further questioning.

• Appeal to Authority: Referencing an 'expert'.
• Appeal to Belief: see Appeal to Common Belief.
• Appeal to Common Belief: If others believe it to be true, it must be true.
• Appeal to Common Practice: If others do it, it must be ok to do it too.
• Appeal to Consequences of a Belief: see Wishful thinking
• Appeal to Fear: Gaining compliance through threat.
• Appeal to Force: see Appeal to Fear
• Appeal to Emotion: If it feels good, it must be true.
• Appeal to Ignorance: see Argument from ignorance
• Appeal to Novelty: Newer is better.
• Appeal to Pity: Going for the sympathy vote.
• Appeal to Ridicule: Mocking the other person's claim.
• Appeal to Sympathy: see Appeal to Pity
• Appeal to Tradition: It has always been done this way, so this way is right.

Many of these appeals may also appear using their Latin names that either start with 'Argumentum Ad' or just with 'Ad', as below:

• Ad Absurdum: see Appeal to Ridicule
• Ad Baculum: see Appeal to Fear
• Ad Hominem: see Attack the person
• Ad Hominem Tu Quoque: See Personal Inconsistency
• Ad Ignorantium: see Argument from Ignorance
• Ad Misericordiam: see Appeal to Pity
• Ad Nauseum: see Repetition
• Ad Novitam: see Appeal to Novelty
• Ad Numeram: see Appeal to Common Practice
• Ad Populum: see Appeal to Common Belief or Bandwagon
• Ad Verecundiam: see Appeal to Authority