How to Coach Yourself and Others Beware of Manipulation | Page 60

asserts this fallacy risks ending up in a psychiatric ward, but groups or nations who do it are far too
often taken seriously. This vicious fallacy has been the cause of endless bloodshed over history.
Appeal to pity (argumentum ad misericordiam)
An argument attempts to induce pity to sway opponents - The fallacy of urging an audience to “root for
the underdog” regardless of the issues at hand (e.g., “Those poor, cute little squeaky mice are being
gobbled up by mean, nasty cats that are ten times their size!”) A corrupt argument from pathos. See
also Playing to Emotions.
Appeal to ridicule
An argument is made by presenting the opponent's argument in a way that makes it appear ridiculous
Appeal to spite
A specific type of appeal to emotion where an argument is made through exploiting people's bitterness
or spite towards an opposing party
Wish ful thinking
A specific type of appeal to emotion where a decision is made according to what might be pleasing to
imagine, rather than according to evidence or reason.
Appeal to motive, also Argument from Motives or “Questioning Motives”
Where a premise is dismissed by calling into question the motives of its proposer. The fallacy of
declaring a standpoint or argument invalid solely because of the evil, corrupt or questionable motives
of the one making the claim. E.g., "Bin Laden wanted us out of Afghanistan, so we have to keep up the
fight!" Even evil people with corrupt motives sometimes say the truth (and even those who have the
highest motives are often wrong or mistaken). A variety of the Ad Hominem argument. The
counterpart of this is the fallacy of falsely justifying or excusing evil or vicious actions because of the
perpetrator's purity of motives or lack of malice. (E.g., "She's a good Christian woman; how could you
accuse her of doing something like that?")
Appeal to novelty (argumentum ad novitam)
Where a proposal is claimed to be superior or better solely because it is new or modern.
Appeal to poverty (argumentum ad Lazarum)
Supporting a conclusion because the arguer is poor (or refuting because the arguer is wealthy).
(Opposite of appeal to wealth.)
Appeal to tradition (argumentum ad antiquitam)
A conclusion supported solely because it has long been held to be true.
Appeal to nature
Wherein judgement is based solely on whether the subject of judgement is 'natural' or
'unnatural'.citation needed For example (hypothetical): "Cannabis is healthy because it is natural"
Appeal to Tradition
(also "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"). The fallacy that a standpoint, situation or action is right, proper and
correct simply because it has "always" been that way, because people have "always" thought that way,
or because it continues to serve one particular group very well.. A corrupted argument from ethos (that
of past generations). (E.g., "In America, women have always been paid less, so let's not mess with
long-standing tradition."). The reverse of this is yet another fallacy, the "Appeal to Innovation," e.g.,
"It's NEW, and [therefore it must be] improved!"
Appeal to wealth (argumentum ad crumenam)

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