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appeal to popularity

Treating "lots of people believe it" as a reason to think it's true.

An appeal to popularity argues that a claim is true, or an action is right, because many people accept it. How many people believe something is not evidence for it, except in the special case where the claim is itself about what people believe or do.

Examples

  • "Millions of people take this supplement, so it must work."

  • Not fallacious: "Most people here drive on the right, so you should too."

See also

appeal to emotion appeal to authority
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