argumentum ad populum

logic

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Last updated

June 18, 2026

Quick Summary

The term "argumentum ad populum" is a type of fallacy, which is reasoning that appears sound but lacks supporting evidence. Specifically, an ad populum fallacy is an appeal to popular attitudes or beliefs rather than providing logical reasons to support a conclusion. This type of flawed reasoning attempts to persuade by appealing to the emotions or widespread opinions of a group, rather than by presenting a valid argument. Fallacies can occur in material content, wording, or structure, and ad populum falls under material fallacies as a fallacy of relevance.12

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fallacy
Material fallacies
…false, ( b) the argument ad populum (an appeal “to the people”), which, instead of offering logical reasons, appeals to such popular attitudes as the dislike of injustice, ( c) the argument ad misericordiam (an appeal “to pity”), as when a trial lawyer, rather than arguing for his client’s innocence,…
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…false, ( b) the argument ad populum (an appeal “to the people”), which, instead of offering logical reasons, appeals to such popular attitudes as the dislike of injustice, ( c) the argument ad misericordiam (an appeal “to pity”), as when a trial lawyer, rather than arguing for his client’s innocence,…
Read More