Talk:Appeal to authority
From Academic Kids
In the entry for Logical Fallacy under the sub-heading Fallacies in the media and politics it states; "...An appeal to authority is always a logical fallacy though it can be an appropriate form of rational argument if, for example, it is an appeal to expert testimony."
This is in conflict with this article, especially where this one reads; "Sometimes, an appeal to authority is a logical fallacy." The approach in the Logical Fallacy article is preferable and it would be good if the article here reflected it, perhaps also mentioning an 'appeal to expediency' as another example of an often rationally legitimate 'appeal to authority'. Sometimes there simply is not enough time to argue about who has the best argument in current pressing circumstances.
But, it is always a fallacy to conclude the ultimate soundness of an argument by authority, even though it may be wise to proceed as though it were both sound and authoritive! Layman 02:17, 27 Apr 2005 (UTC)
The appeal to authority is fallacious because Quine says so! User:Ed Poor
Hmm, where does this "Five conditions" section come from? Surely it would be better to put an argument by authority into a valid form:
- If person X says statement Y and Y is about subject area Z then X is true
- Person X does say Y and Y is about subject area Z
Therefore
- Y is true
Most arguments by authority presumably hinge on the truth of the first premisis.
Also I feel that this article should address the need for appeal to authority as a social neccessity (eg doctors orders) and a consiquence of the division of labour. --harry 13:42, 8 Sep 2004 (UTC)
