Question

...
The Dudeman

What is the main difference between the "Appeal to Popularity" and the "Appeal to Common Belief?"

I understand both fallacies, but they seem very similar and I'm wondering what the biggest difference is.
asked on Tuesday, Mar 21, 2017 08:59:24 PM by The Dudeman

Top Categories Suggested by Community

Comments

Want to get notified of all questions as they are asked? Update your mail preferences and turn on "Instant Notification."

Eat Meat... Or Don't.

Roughly 95% of Americans don’t appear to have an ethical problem with animals being killed for food, yet all of us would have a serious problem with humans being killed for food. What does an animal lack that a human has that justifies killing the animal for food but not the human?

As you start to list properties that the animal lacks to justify eating them, you begin to realize that some humans also lack those properties, yet we don’t eat those humans. Is this logical proof that killing and eating animals for food is immoral? Don’t put away your steak knife just yet.

In Eat Meat… Or Don’t, we examine the moral arguments for and against eating meat with both philosophical and scientific rigor. This book is not about pushing some ideological agenda; it’s ultimately a book about critical thinking.

Get 20% off this book and all Bo's books*. Use the promotion code: websiteusers

* This is for the author's bookstore only. Applies to autographed hardcover, audiobook, and ebook.

Get the Book

Answers

...
Bo Bennett, PhD
0
Not much of a difference when both refer to a belief. But the appeal to popularity is more generic that can be applied to ideas, products, and other non-beliefs. For example,

The new Tickle-Me-Buzz-Lightyear toy cannot stay on the shelves, therefore, it is a great toy!

This more accurately is about us reasoning that because a toy sell well (is popular), that it must be good, therefore appeal to popularity is a better fit. However, if we said

Parents everywhere believe that the Tickle-Me-Buzz-Lightyear toy is the best toy ever, therefore, it is a great toy!

This is would be common belief.

Not much of a difference, and it really does not matter that much. Informal fallacy names are just a way to help us identify the problematic reasoning. You can call it "fallacy of stupidity" and it wouldn't really matter, as long as you realized that just because something is popular or common, does not make it good/right/true.
answered on Wednesday, Mar 22, 2017 09:01:44 AM by Bo Bennett, PhD

Comments