Section: Reasoning Through Language Arts

49)

Read the following sentence: 

You can’t prove that there aren’t Martians living in caves under the surface of Mars, so it is reasonable for me to believe there are.

Identify why the reasoning is fallacious.

1. Appeal to authority: Attempt at truth by tying a person of authority to the belief; does not use factual evidence to prove the point.
2. Appeal to popular opinion: Saying that because most people believe something it must be true.
3. Attacking the person: Attempts truth by attacking the person rather than the argument.
4. Appeal to ignorance: Attempts truth by stating that because someone can’t prove your viewpoint, you’re justified in accepting your own as fact.