Fallacies: Appeal to Popular Belief

Summary

The script discusses the fallacy of appealing to popular belief or practice, illustrating how the acceptability of an action or the truth of a claim isn't determined by its popularity. It uses examples like tax evasion and belief in a higher power to show that even if a majority engages in a behavior or holds a belief, it doesn't validate it. The script clarifies that while such appeals are logically structured, the premises themselves are often false or dubious, making the arguments fallacious.

Takeaways

• 📢 An appeal to popular belief is a fallacy that assumes a claim is true because many people believe it.
• 🔍 An appeal to popular practice is similar, but it involves the acceptance of an action based on its widespread performance, not belief.
• 🚫 The script provides an example of an appeal to popular practice with the false justification of tax evasion being acceptable because 'everyone does it'.
• ❌ The key premise in appeals to popular belief or practice is that widespread acceptance justifies the action or belief, which is often false.
• 🤔 The logic of the argument is not the issue; it's the truth value of the premises that makes these appeals fallacious.
• 🙅‍♂️ Even if a majority believes in something, like God or higher power, it doesn't make the belief objectively true.
• 🍦 The script contrasts the appeal to popular belief with actual preferences, using vanilla ice cream as an example where popularity aligns with preference.
• 🧠 Beliefs about preferences (e.g., thinking chocolate is more popular) don't determine actual preferences, even if they are widely held.
• 📉 The argument is fallacious when it relies on the premise that a belief's popularity makes it true, especially for objective claims.
• 🔑 The takeaway is that appeals to popular belief or practice are fallacies when the major premise is false or dubious, regardless of the argument's logical structure.

Q & A

What is an appeal to popular belief?

An appeal to popular belief is a fallacious argument where the truth or falsity of a claim is assumed based on the fact that many people believe it to be true.

How does an appeal to popular practice differ from an appeal to popular belief?

An appeal to popular practice involves justifying an action based on its widespread acceptance or commonality, whereas an appeal to popular belief justifies a claim based on its widespread acceptance in people's minds.

What is the key premise in an appeal to popular practice argument?

The key premise in an appeal to popular practice argument is that if almost everyone does something, then it's acceptable to do it.

Why is the argument 'everyone lies on their taxes' considered fallacious?

The argument 'everyone lies on their taxes' is fallacious because it assumes that the acceptability of an action is determined by its popularity, rather than its inherent rightness or legality.

Can you provide an example of an appeal to popular belief from the transcript?

An example of an appeal to popular belief given in the transcript is the claim that 'over 90% of the population believes in some form of God or higher power,' implying that this widespread belief makes the existence of a deity likely.

What is the difference between a logical fallacy and a content fallacy as it pertains to appeals to popular belief or practice?

A logical fallacy involves a flaw in the structure of the argument, while a content fallacy, such as an appeal to popular belief or practice, involves a flaw in the truth or falsity of the premises, not the logic itself.

Why might an appeal to popular belief be considered relevant in some cases?

An appeal to popular belief can be relevant when the claim in question is about what people believe or prefer, as in the case of determining the most popular ice cream flavor based on surveys.

How does the transcript differentiate between the popularity of a belief and the actual preferences of people?

The transcript differentiates between the popularity of a belief and actual preferences by stating that while a belief in something does not make it true, a majority preference can determine popularity in subjective matters like ice cream flavors.

What is the significance of the major premise in determining whether an appeal to popular belief or practice is fallacious?

The major premise in an appeal to popular belief or practice is significant because the argument's fallaciousness hinges on whether this premise is judged to be false or dubious.

Can you provide a scenario where an appeal to popular belief would not be fallacious according to the transcript?

An appeal to popular belief would not be fallacious when the claim is about people's actual preferences, such as determining the most popular ice cream flavor based on actual preferences rather than perceived popularity.

What is the role of surveys in the context of appeals to popular belief as discussed in the transcript?

Surveys play a role in appeals to popular belief by providing empirical data on what a majority of people believe or prefer, which can be relevant in determining the truth of claims related to popular opinion or preference.