Question

If we raise taxes, farmers will lose their farms, and their children will be homeless and starving. This statement is an example of which fallacy?

Group of answer choices
a. Intentional fallacy
b. Appeal to tradition/Common practice
c. Pity

Answer 1

The statement is an example of the appeal to pity fallacy, which manipulates feelings of pity or guilt instead of supplying logical arguments. The correct answer is option c) pity.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement “If we raise taxes, farmers will lose their farms, and their children will be homeless and starving” is an example of the appeal to pity fallacy, also known as argumentum ad misericordiam.

This type of fallacy occurs when an argument is made through the exploitation of an opponent’s feelings of pity or guilt, rather than providing logical reasons why the increase in taxes would influence the outcome for the farmers and their children to such an extent.

The use of this fallacy distracts from the actual issues at hand, such as economic policies, farmer vulnerability, and potential social safety nets that might prevent such dire outcomes.