Argumentum ad baculum
Threat of force to make a conclusion accepted / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Threat of force" redirects here. Not to be confused with Threat of force (public international law) or Threat display.
Argumentum ad baculum (Latin for "argument to the cudgel" or "appeal to the stick") is the fallacy committed when one makes an appeal to force[1] to bring about the acceptance of a conclusion.[2][3] One participates in argumentum ad baculum when one emphasizes the negative consequences of holding the contrary position, regardless of the contrary position's truth value—particularly when the argument-maker himself causes (or threatens to cause) those negative consequences. It is a special case of the appeal to consequences.
This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (September 2011) |