Appeal to ridicule


     
    Name of fallacy Appeal to ridicule
    Aliases Appeal to mockery, the Horse Laugh, reductio ad ridiculum
    Type Irrelevant Argument, Informal Argument
    Description Presenting the opponent's argument in a way that makes it appear ridiculous
    Example  If Einstein's theory of relativity is right, that would mean that when I drive my car it gets shorter and heavier the faster I go. That's crazy! (This is, in fact, true, but the effect is so minuscule a human observer will not notice.)
    Form  
    Treatment Point out that this is an attempt to make the argument appear ridiculous. Usually the ridicule will be based on one of the fallacies. Name the fallacy and why it is a fallacy.

    Comments