Which logical fallacy should I cover next? Let me know in the comments below. For example, calling a Nazi concentration camp like Auschwitz a detention center would certainly be an unjustifiable euphemism. Hopefully, these examples explain the importance of focusing on an opponent’s actual claims. Using appeal to emotion is unfair to those you debate, and it’s intellectually lazy for you. If the audience feels the intended emotion, they may be convinced that the speaker’s position is justified In all the above examples, the speaker states a position, but then rather provide rationale or evidence for that position, simply tries manipulating emotion in the audience. If we don’t cut back on immigration, more illegal immigrants are going to steal your jobs and live off government welfare, forcing your taxes up.Letting trans people choose which washroom they use can lead to predators using the wrong washroom, putting children at risk of harm.I’m so glad I belong to this church I fear what my life would be like without it.Eat up all your supper there are children starving in China.Here are some actual examples of the appeal to emotion fallacy: This tactic is often used when the speaker wants to convince the audience but has no rational explanation for their position. What is the appeal to emotion fallacy?Īn appeal to emotion fallacy is when a speaker tries to elicit an emotional response from their audience rather than putting forth an argument. They can appear in website and marketing copy, political speeches, opinion pieces, and so on.

And not just in social media and blog comments either. While fallacies are typically from the debating sphere and may seem out of place on a blog dedicated to writing, they do appear in writing as well. Examples of pathos in persuasion or debate include: Opinion pieces.

There are many logical fallacies, and over the next few weeks and months, I will occasionally focus on a fallacy. For example, the appeal to authority fallacy claims something is true because an authoritative source supports it, even though that authoritative source is either not qualified to make statements about the subject or that source’s expertise is overstated.

Appeal to emotion examples