Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
Argumentum ad numerum
The Argumentum ad numerum or argument from numbers is a logical fallacy that consists of the assertion that the more people who accept or believe an assertion, the more likely that assertion is to be true. For instance, it may be asserted that as millions of people read horoscopes every day, astrology must be a good guide to the future.
Examples
- Using a poll to justifiy the claims - Since 88% of the people polled believed in UFOs they must be true.
- Direct appeal to numbers - A vast majority of people thinks God exists, therefore he does.
10-26-2009 08:16:03
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The contents of this article is licensed from www.wikipedia.org under the GNU Free Documentation License. Click here to see the transparent copy and copyright details