Appeal to Ignorance: Term and Coinage
The appeal to ignorance, also known as argumentum ad ignorantiam, is a logical fallacy characterized by the assertion that a proposition is true because it has not been proven false, or vice versa. This fallacious line of reasoning relies on the absence of evidence to support a claim, rather than presenting positive evidence in its favor.
The term “appeal to ignorance” was coined to describe this flawed argumentative strategy, emphasizing the error in relying on a lack of information as a basis for establishing truth. Recognized as a violation of sound reasoning, the appeal to ignorance underscores the importance of substantiating claims with positive evidence rather than exploiting gaps in knowledge to assert the validity of a position.
Appeal to Ignorance: Literal and Conceptual Meanings
Literal Meaning:
- Absence of Evidence as Proof: Arguing that a proposition is true because there is no evidence proving it false.
- Absence of Disproof as Confirmation: Asserting that a claim is false because there is no evidence proving it true.
- Reliance on Unverified Information: Using lack of knowledge or information as a basis for accepting or rejecting a statement.
Conceptual Meaning:
- Flaw in Logical Reasoning: Recognizing the fallacy of relying on ignorance to support a claim instead of presenting positive evidence.
- Violation of Sound Argumentation: Understanding that a position’s validity should be established through affirmative evidence rather than exploiting gaps in information.
- Critical Thinking Emphasis: Emphasizing the importance of discerning between absence of evidence and evidence of absence in logical discussions.
- Avoiding Assumptions: Encouraging a mindset that seeks substantiated evidence rather than making claims based on what is not known or proven.
Appeal to Ignorance: Definition as a Logical Fallacy
The appeal to ignorance is a logical fallacy that occurs when an argument asserts the truth or falsity of a proposition based on a lack of evidence or information. It mistakenly assumes that a claim is valid simply because it has not been proven false or vice versa. This fallacy highlights the importance of distinguishing between the absence of evidence and evidence of absence in constructing logically sound arguments.
Appeal to Ignorance: Types
| Type of Appeal to Ignorance | Description | Example |
| Argument from Ignorance | Asserts that a proposition is true because it has not been proven false, or vice versa, without providing positive evidence. | “No one has proven that ghosts don’t exist, so they must be real.” |
| Appeal to Incredulity | Dismisses a claim as false because it seems unbelievable or difficult to comprehend, without offering evidence to the contrary. | “I can’t believe humans landed on the moon; it must be a hoax because it seems impossible.” |
| Argument from Silence | Assumes that a lack of information on a particular topic implies support for a specific conclusion, disregarding the possibility of unknown factors. | “There’s no historical record of aliens visiting Earth, so they must have never been here.” |
| God of the Gaps Fallacy | Fills gaps in scientific knowledge with the assertion of divine intervention, using lack of understanding as evidence for a deity’s existence or action. | “Science can’t explain the origin of the universe, so God must have created it.” |
| Ad Ignorantiam Fallacy | Appeals to the ignorance of the audience, assuming that if a claim is not known to be false, it must be true, or vice versa, without providing substantive evidence. | “No one can prove that the politician is corrupt, so he must be trustworthy.” |
| Appeal to Unfamiliarity | Concludes that something is true or false because it is not well understood or familiar, neglecting the possibility of valid explanations yet to be discovered. | “We don’t know much about this ancient civilization’s practices, so they must have engaged in bizarre rituals.” |
Appeal to Ignorance: Examples in Everyday Life
- Health and Superstitions:
- Claim: “I’ve never had a flu shot, and I’ve never gotten the flu, so I don’t need vaccinations.”
- Analysis of Appeal to Ignorance: This person assumes that because they haven’t experienced the flu despite not getting vaccinated, vaccinations are unnecessary.
- Conspiracy Theories:
- Claim: “No one can prove that aliens didn’t build the pyramids, so it must be a government cover-up.”
- Analysis: This statement relies on the lack of evidence disproving a conspiracy theory to assert its validity.
- Technology and Paranormal Beliefs:
- Claim: “My phone acted weird last night; it must be haunted.”
- Analysis of Appeal to Ignorance: The assumption that unexplained technological glitches must be attributed to paranormal causes, as there’s no immediate scientific explanation.
- Legal Assumptions:
- Claim: “There’s no evidence that I committed the crime, so I must be innocent.”
- Analysis: Assuming innocence based on the absence of evidence, disregarding the need for affirmative evidence of innocence.
- Weather and Superstitions:
- Claim: “I did a rain dance yesterday, and it rained today, so the dance must have worked.”
- Analysis of Appeal to Ignorance: Correlating two events without evidence of causation, attributing rainfall to a superstitious ritual.
- Educational Decisions:
- Claim: “We don’t know if studying for exams really helps, so I won’t bother preparing.”
- Analysis: Dismissing the potential benefits of studying based on a lack of certainty about its effectiveness.
- Political Assertions:
- Claim: “No one has proven that the candidate is corrupt, so they must be trustworthy.”
- Analysis of Appeal to Ignorance: Assuming a lack of evidence of corruption as evidence of trustworthiness, neglecting the need for positive proof of integrity.
Appeal to Ignorance in Literature: Suggested Readings
- Booth, Wayne C., Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams. The Craft of Research. University of Chicago Press, 2008.
- Fisher, Alec. Critical Thinking: An Introduction. Cambridge University Press, 2011.
- Graff, Gerald, and Cathy Birkenstein. They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. W.W. Norton & Company, 2016.
- Orwell, George. 1984. Signet Classics, 1950.
- Rottenberg, Annette T., and Donna Haisty Winchell. The Structure of Argument. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2018.
- Toulmin, Stephen. The Uses of Argument. Cambridge University Press, 2003.
- Williams, Joseph M., and Gregory G. Colomb. Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace. Pearson, 2016.
- Young, Richard E., and Alton L. Becker. Writing Arguments: A Rhetoric with Readings. Pearson, 2018.
- Zinsser, William. On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction. HarperCollins, 2016.