Appeal to pity
Type of logical fallacy
An appeal to pity (also called argumentum ad misericordiam, the sob story, or the Galileo argument)[1][2] is a fallacy in which someone tries to win support for an argument or idea by exploiting one's opponent's feelings of pity or guilt. It is a specific kind of appeal to emotion. The name "Galileo argument" refers to the scientist's suffering as a result of his house arrest by the Inquisition.
Examples
- "You must have graded my exam incorrectly. I studied very hard for weeks specifically because I knew my career depended on getting a good grade. If you give me a failing grade I'm ruined!"
- "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, look at this miserable man, in a wheelchair, unable to use his legs. Could such a man really be guilty of embezzlement?"
See also
- Appeal to consequences
- Think of the children
Notes
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Common fallacies (list)
In propositional logic |
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In quantificational logic |
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Syllogistic fallacy |
Equivocation | |||||
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Question-begging | |||||
Correlative-based | |||||
Illicit transference | |||||
Secundum quid |
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Faulty generalization | |||||
Ambiguity | |||||
Questionable cause |
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Appeals |
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Genetic fallacy |
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Other fallacies of relevance |
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- Category