Fallacy of Association
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Original Question
Is there a fallacy which a person aligns themselves with an esteemed figure, or at least references them, to lend credibility to their argument even though the argument is substantially different. The article I read referenced a quote from Frederick Douglas but was speaking about the Democratic party. It seemed arrogant to reference Frederick Douglas. Would this be Begging the Question in that the author is equating themselves with Frederick Douglas assuming that he is an esteemed figure and, therefore, that quality applies to the author?
Answers
2It certainly could be a deliberate persuasion technique by the person sharing the quote. This is like beer companies associating their product with hot girls and guys who are in great shape. Most rational people would not say that they are really making the association but the association is subconscious and it is being made. Because of this, this really is not a flaw in reasoning on the part of the audience since reasoning is the conscious process that will deny any association here.
Making a reference isn't necessarily aligning with someone else, but it may be an argument from authority. Without seeing something specific it's hard to say.
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