{"id":497756,"date":"2023-06-15T00:27:24","date_gmt":"2023-06-14T22:27:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.nl\/?p=497756"},"modified":"2023-10-09T17:08:39","modified_gmt":"2023-10-09T15:08:39","slug":"appeal-to-authority-fallacy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/fallacies\/appeal-to-authority-fallacy\/","title":{"rendered":"Appeal to Authority Fallacy | Definition & Examples"},"content":{"rendered":"

Appeal to authority fallacy<\/strong> refers to the use of an expert\u2019s opinion to back up an argument. Instead of justifying one\u2019s claim, a person cites an authority figure who is not qualified to make reliable claims about the topic at hand. Because people tend to believe experts, appeal to authority often imbues an argument with credibility.<\/p>\n

Appeal to authority fallacy example<\/figcaption>“My favorite actor, who starred in that movie about a virus that turns people into zombies, said in an interview that genetically modified crops caused COVID-19. So I think that\u2019s what really happened.”<\/figure>\n

Appeal to authority is commonly used as a persuasion technique in advertising, politics, and everyday discussions.<\/p>\n

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What is the appeal to authority fallacy?<\/h2>\n

Appeal to authority fallacy occurs when we accept a claim merely because someone tells us that an authority figure supports that claim. An authority figure can be a celebrity, a well-known scientist, or any person whose status and prestige causes us to respect them.<\/p>\n

An appeal to authority (also known as an appeal to false <\/strong>or unqualified authority<\/strong>) plays on people\u2019s feelings of respect or familiarity towards a famous person to bypass critical thinking. It’s like someone is telling us \u201caccept this because some authority said it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Ad<\/a><\/p>\n

This sort of reasoning is only fallacious when the person in question has no legitimate authority in the field of knowledge under discussion. For example, to cite Einstein in an argument about education is fallacious, while it\u2019s perfectly legitimate to cite him in a discussion about physics.<\/p>\n

Appeal to authority fallacy is a type of informal fallacy<\/strong> which means that the logical error lies in the content of the argument. Regardless of whether the claim is true or not, an appeal to authority is fallacious because it lacks sufficient evidence to support the claim. Appeal to authority, like ad hominem fallacy<\/a> and genetic fallacy<\/a>, is a fallacy of relevance<\/strong>.\u00a0These fallacies appeal to evidence or examples irrelevant to the argument at hand.<\/p>\n

What are different types of appeal to authority fallacy?<\/h2>\n

There are different types of appeal to authority fallacy depending on the reasons why the authority cited should not be trusted.<\/p>\n

Appeal to false authority fallacy<\/h3>\n

This is the most common variation and occurs when someone cites a false or unqualified figure of authority (i.e., an expert who is not a real expert). This explains why celebrities are often used in marketing campaigns.<\/p>\n

Appeal to false authority fallacy example<\/figcaption>\u201c<\/strong>The PrestigeX4000, the pinnacle of automotive excellence. When Jack Steele, Hollywood\u2019s greatest action hero, demands the ultimate driving experience, why settle for less?\u201d<\/p>\n

Here, a famous actor endorses a car, even though he has no expertise to evaluate the car in terms of technical aspects, performance, safety, or any other aspect that matters. From a logical viewpoint, this is a fallacy. However, ads don\u2019t aim at logic. Instead, they use celebrities to imbue the product with a sense of prestige and make the ad more memorable.<\/figure>\n

Appeal to anonymous authority<\/h3>\n

Appeal to anonymous authority occurs when an arguer attributes a claim to an expert who is not named or identified. Vague statements about \u201cexperts,\u201d \u201chistorians,\u201d or \u201cauthors\u201d who believe, say, or have proven something, attest to this type of reasoning error. Since the experts are not identified, there is no way to verify their knowledge of the topic or the validity of their claims.<\/p>\n

Appeal to anonymous authority fallacy example<\/figcaption>\u201cI read an article online written by a high-ranking army officer who claims that there is evidence of aliens visiting Earth. However, the officer wishes to remain anonymous. Aliens do exist!\u201d<\/figure>\n

Appeal to biased authority<\/h3>\n

Appeal to biased authority occurs when someone who is truly knowledgeable about the topic under discussion makes a claim influenced by their own prejudice or bias, rather than their expertise. For example, an expert may have personal, financial, or professional interests at stake which may lead to biased judgment.<\/p>\n

Appeal to biased authority fallacy example<\/figcaption>\u201cDr. Roberts, a history professor and author of the book Why Women Should Stay at Home<\/em>, claims that the contributions of women in World War II were insignificant. Therefore, we can conclude that women did not play a significant role in the war effort.”<\/figure>\n

When is appeal to authority legitimate?<\/h2>\n

An appeal to authority is not always a fallacy. Citing the informed opinion of an expert is legitimate in an argument when certain criteria is met:<\/p>\n