Logical Errors

Logical Fallacies

Faulty Arguments

Relevance

Appeal to Ignorance

The fallacy of appeal to ignorance simply uses impressive names, facts, figures or "inside" terms to intimidate the hearer into accepting the conclusion offered, instead of running the risk of seeming foolish by confessing that he doesn't know what the argument means. Most human beings will go to considerable lengths in most circumstances to avoid seeming ignorant or naive. In doing so, they may victimize themselves. A relatively unsophisticated and uneducated patient pointed to the blood pressure kit the doctor had in his hands and asked, "Uh . . . Doc? What's that thing?" The doctor said, "This, Mr. Jones, is a sphygmomanometer." The patient looked rather thoughtful and mumbled, "Oh, I was afraid that's what it was." The commercial that touts "the new miracle ingredient, HO-9" also resorts to the fallacy of appeal to ignorance.

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Map of Logical Errors