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Argumentum Ad Baculum





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.
In other words, ''This is right because if you do not believe it, you will be beaten up.''

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 Philosopher s. This is a special case of '' Argumentum Ad Consequentiam '', or "appeal to consequences".


Examples



AS A NON-LOGICAL ARGUMENT

A similar but non-logical argument has roughly the following form:
:If x does not accept P as true, then Q.
:Q is a punishment on x.
:Therefore, x should accept P to avoid Q.
This is not a Logical Argument , but a Rhetorical one. The truth of the conclusion, which addresses the ''benefit'' of a course of action, cannot be determined from the truth of the premises. Logic does not address subjective concepts such as practicality or Ethics .


Examples

  • "''I support the war: if I did not, I would be ostracized from the community.''"

  • :Youth in the United States who opposed the Vietnam War were told that they should not hold such a view, because they would face Discrimination from potential employers. While this argument provides a reason to keep an anti-war opinion private, it does not address whether an anti-war stance is logically correct or incorrect.

  • "''I should convert to Islam; if I do not, I would be subject to Dhimmi status or put to death''"

  • :During Islam's Growth , non-Muslims were Given The Choice of either converting, paying the Jizya tax and being subject to dhimmitude, or being killed.



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