Informal Fallacies: Appeal to Force (Argumentum ad Baculum)
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Course
Informal Fallacies
Institution
Silliman University
This lecture notes discusses "appeal to force", a type of informal fallacy that arises when the arguer, instead of showing the evidence, appeals to intimidation or use force to gain acceptance of his or her argument.
Informal Fallacies:
Appeal to Force (Argumentum ad Baculum)
An appeal to force is a type of informal fallacy that arises when the arguer, instead of
showing the evidence, appeals to intimidation or use force to gain acceptance of his or
her argument. In other words, the appeal to force fallacy happens when the arguer tries
to persuade the other (or the listener) by pointing out his or her power over the other
or warning the other of the bad consequences if he or she refuses to accept his or her
argument.
Let us consider the examples below.
Example 1
College Dean to a teacher: You better think twice before giving that student a failing
grade. Remember, he is the nephew of the university president.
Example 2
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, if you do not bring in a verdict of guilty, you may be
the killer’s next victim.
Example 3
Mr. Ambassador, I’m sure you will agree that your coming does not have a legitimate
claim to the disputed territory along our borders. After all, we have divisions of troops
ready to protect our interest at all times.
Example 4
Father to a daughter: You should study Nursing; otherwise, I will not send you to college.
Example 5
Smith, we cannot have this statement on expenditures coming to the attention of the
president. You have been the accountant here for nearly twenty years. It would be a
shame to ruin all that now. I think it would be wise of you to take another look at the
book, don’t you?
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