An appeal to an authority is an argument that attempts to establish its conclusion by citing a perceived authority who claims that the conclusion is true.

In all cases, appeals to authority are fallacious; no matter how well-respected someone is, it is possible for them to make a mistake. The mere fact that someone says that something is true therefore doesn’t prove that it is true.

The worst kinds of appeal to authority, however, are those where the alleged authority isn’t an authority on the subject matter in question. People speaking outside of their area of expertise certainly aren’t to be trusted on matters of any importance without further investigation.

Example

“Darwin’s theory of evolution is false; my pastor says so.”

A pastor saying that a complex scientific theory is false doesn’t prove that it’s so, particularly if the pastor lacks a background in science.

Links

• Brian Yoder’s Fallacy Zoo - Appeal to Authority
• Fallacy Files - Appeal to Misleading Authority
• Logical Fallacies .Info - Appeal to Authority
• Michael LaBossiere’s Fallacies Introduction - Appeal to Authority
• Philosophy.Lander.edu - Ad Verecundiam

Case Study

• Dwain Chambers Challenges Olympic Ban