Lesson 4: Appeal to Authority

Spot the Faulty Logic #

I found this cool dinosaur encyclopedia in my grandpa’s attic from 1980. It has a drawing of a T-Rex standing straight up like a kangaroo with its tail dragging on the ground. My teacher says T-Rexes leaned forward and walked with their tails in the air, but I believe the book because it’s a real encyclopedia.

Discussion: Talk with your teacher about this example. What seems wrong with this line of thinking?

How/Why It’s Often Used #

People use this fallacy often unconsciously because we’re taught to respect authority figures, and it’s often easier to quote someone famous than to research the actual evidence. It can make arguments sound more convincing. TV commercial advertisers pay famous athletes or movie stars to hold a product because they know you are more likely to trust a familiar, cool face than you are to research the actual quality of the item. People also unknowingly fall prey to the appeal to authority fallacy when reading or listening to their favorite authors or speakers. If we’re not careful we can blindly believe everything said by this person based solely on who they are and not on the claim itself.

Appeal to Authority in Action #

Did you spot the faulty logic? #

The student believed the book not on the basis of real evidence but because it was a published book. This appeal to authority caused him to believe a particular source he didn’t think could be wrong. However, scientists are always learning and new technology helps refine what we believe to be true all the time. Just because the encyclopedia says something doesn’t mean that information hasn’t been proved to be inaccurate. Truth can come from any source and any source can be mistaken.

Second Example #

Someone says, “Climate change isn’t real because my uncle, who’s a successful businessman, says it’s just a hoax.”

The Flaw #

Being successful in business doesn’t make someone an expert on climate science. The uncle’s opinion carries no more weight than any other non-expert’s.