Argumentum ad baculum

Argumentum ad baculum

Argumentum ad baculum (Latin: "argument to the cudgel" or "appeal to the stick"), also known as appeal to force, is an argument where force, coercion, or the "threat of force", is given as a justification for a conclusion. It is a specific case of the negative form of an argument to the consequences.

As a logical argument

A fallacious logical argument based on "argumentum ad baculum" generally has the following argument form::If x does not accept P as true, then Q.:Q is a punishment on x.:Therefore, P is true.

For example::If you do not believe that Jesus is Lord, you will be denied entry into Heaven.:Therefore, Jesus is Lord.

In other words, "This is right because if you do not believe it, you will be harmed."

This form of argument is an informal fallacy, because the attack Q may not necessarily reveal anything about the truth value of the premise P. This fallacy has been identified since the Middle Ages by many philosophers. This is a special case of "argumentum ad consequentiam", or "appeal to consequences".

Examples

*"I don't remember owing you any money. If I do not pay this supposed debt, you will beat me up and hurt my family. Therefore I do owe you some money."
*"God exists, because if you don't believe in him you will go to Hell."
*"Racism is wrong because it is against the law."
*"Our political views are right and you should agree with them, because if you do not we will put you in a Gulag."

ee also

*Logical fallacy
*Conformity
*Bullying
*Pascal's Wager

External links

* [http://atheism.about.com/library/FAQs/skepticism/blfaq_fall_force.htm About.com article on Argumentum ad Baculum]


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Argumentum ad baculum — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Un argumento ad baculum o argumentum ad baculum (en latín, significa argumento que apela al bastón ), es una falacia que implica sostener la validez de un argumento basándose en la fuerza o en la amenaza del uso de… …   Wikipedia Español

  • argumentum ad baculum — see ↑argumentum baculinum below. • • • Main Entry: ↑argumentum argumentum baculinum /ba kūl īnˈum or ba kŭl ēnˈŭm/ or argumentum ad baculum noun The argument of the stick or rod, ie of force • • • Main Entry: ↑argumentum …   Useful english dictionary

  • argumentum ad baculum — foreign term Etymology: Latin argument of the staff ; appeal to force …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Argumentum Ad Consequentiam — Sommaire 1 Définition 2 Exemples 3 sous catégorie 4 Erreurs voisines // …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Argumentum ad consequentiae — Argumentum ad consequentiam Sommaire 1 Définition 2 Exemples 3 sous catégorie 4 Erreurs voisines // …   Wikipédia en Français

  • argumentum baculinum — /ba kūl īnˈum or ba kŭl ēnˈŭm/ or argumentum ad baculum noun The argument of the stick or rod, ie of force • • • Main Entry: ↑argumentum …   Useful english dictionary

  • Argumentum — Ein Argument (lateinisch „Beweisgrund, Beweismittel“) ist eine Aussage oder eine Folge von Aussagen, die zur Begründung oder zur Widerlegung einer Behauptung (These) angeführt wird. Die zusammenhängende Darlegung von Argumenten wird als… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Argumentum ad consequentiam — L’argument par la conséquence, en latin argumentum ad consequentiam, est un raisonnement fallacieux. Il consiste à déduire une conclusion (en général une croyance) à partir d une conséquence, positive ou négative, de la croyance à prouver. Cette… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • argumentum ad… — The traditional classification of fallacies of reasoning describes many of them as involving an ‘argument to…’ They include: A. ad ignorantiam : arguing that a proposition is true because it has not been shown to be false, or vice versa. A. ad… …   Philosophy dictionary

  • Argument par la conséquence — Argumentum ad consequentiam Sommaire 1 Définition 2 Exemples 3 sous catégorie 4 Erreurs voisines // …   Wikipédia en Français

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