logical fallacy : Java Glossary

Appeals to Authority

Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using his intelligence; he is just using his memory.
~ Leonardo da Vinci (1452-04-15 1519-05-02 age:67)

The Nizkor Project explains many of the logical fallacies frequently used in debate. They are logical-sounding nonsense. They are dishonest tricks used when the there are no facts to support a position.

There is one fallacy that I don’t think has a name is popular in political debates. It goes like this, We can’t put mother in a home, because she will die. What is left out is that mother will die no matter where you house her. It is a true, but irrelevant statement. We can’t end the war now because there will be chaos in the withdrawal. Yes, but there will be chaos no matter when you withdraw. I might call it the irrelevancy fallacy.