argumentum ad populum

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English

Etymology

Latin: argūmentum (argument”, “proof) + ad (to”, “toward) + populum (accusative singular of populus, “people”, “nation”) ≈ “appeal to the people”

Pronunciation

Noun

argumentum ad populum (plural argumenta ad populum)

  1. (rhetoric) A fallacious argument that concludes a proposition to be true because many or all people believe it; it alleges that “if many believe so, it is so”.
    • 2001, Martin Reisigl, Ruth Wodak, Discourse and Discrimination: Rhetorics of Racism and Antisemitism, page 166:
      The appeals to the public were also expressed differently: that is to say, much less by fallacious argumenta ad populum that played on the fears of the addressees, than by an appeal to rational insights, humanity and democracy.

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