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Appeal to Pity
(argumentum ad misercordiam)
Definition:
The reader is told to agree to the proposition because of the
pitiful state of the author.
Examples:
- How can you say that's out? It was so close, and besides, I'm down ten games to two.
- We hope you'll accept our recommendations. We spent the last three months working extra time on it.
Proof:
Identify the proposition and the appeal to pity and argue that
the pitiful state of the arguer has nothing to do with the truth
of the proposition.
References:
Cedarblom and Paulsen: 151, Copi and Cohen: 103, Davis: 82
26 May 1995 / 06 January 1996
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