Appeal to Ridicule

By: Dakota Hunt

Definition• Ridicule or mockery is substituted for

evidence in an argument, or it presents the opponent's argument in a way that

seems ridiculous.

• Ex.-Donate to the ASPCA? Definitely, as soon as dogs start paying bills.

"Fallacy: Appeal to Ridicule." Fallacy: Appeal to Ridicule. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.

Picture Analogy

Explanation: A businessman mocks a claim made by another because he heard it from

a man with a “crazy beard”. This is fallacious because the man’s beard has no correlation with his credibility or intellect.

"Appeal to Ridicule." - Bitstrips. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.

Universal Example

"Appeal to Ridicule." Appeal to Ridicule. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.

“It takes faith to believe in God just like it takes faith to believe in the Easter Bunny— but at least the Easter Bunny is based on a creature that actually exists.”

The comparison of a divine figure to a holiday character based upon a real animal is an attempt at ridicule, but becomes a fallacy because it reveals a lack of sophistication and a sense of desperation.

Although, when used properly, ridicule does not always have to be a fallacy. For example:

Matt: You close-minded fool!  Seeing isn’t believing, believing is seeing!

Cindy: Does that go for the Easter Bunny as well, or just the imaginary beings of your choice?

This is not considered a fallacy because it presents an argument in a well thought out manner that evokes an emotional response from us because of its logicality.

Universal Example Ext.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQo0TfuueaY

The father mocks his son’s claim of wanting Doritos by stating “Sure, when pigs fly”. This is a fallacy because pigs are not capable of flying on their own and pigs flying is not logical evidence as to why the son cannot have some Doritos.

"When Pigs Fly - Doritos Crash the Super Bowl 2015 WINNER OFFICAL." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.

Crucible Example “Parris: Why could there not have been poppets hid where no one ever saw them?”Proctor: (furious) “There might also be a dragon with five legs in my house, but no one has ever seen it.”Act 3, Page 217

Proctor commits the fallacy because he is upset that Parris would think that he is involved in witchcraft, so he ridicules him by stating that a dragon could also be in his house. This is absurd because dragons do not exist and it would be impossible not to see a dragon in someone’s home.

Crucible Example“Putnam: It is a lie. Danforth: Mr. Putnam states your charge s a lie. What say you to that?Giles: A fart on Thomas Putnam, that is what I say to that.”Act 3, Page 214

Giles insults Putnam instead of addressing the issue of the lie, which has no correlation to the argument presented, therefore his statement appears as ridiculous.