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Jump to navigationJump to searchCreated page with 'File:lighterstill.jpgright|frame ==Origin== French or Latin; French, from Latin ridiculum jest *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/17th_cent...'
[[File:lighterstill.jpg]][[File:Ridiculing_mona_lisa.jpg|right|frame]]
==Origin==
French or Latin; French, from [[Latin]] ridiculum jest
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/17th_century 1690]
==Definitions==
*: the [[act]] of ridiculing : derision, mockery
==Description==
[[Appeal]] to '''ridicule''', also called appeal to mockery, the Horse Laugh, or reductio ad ridiculum ([[Latin]]: "reduction to the ridiculous"), is a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logical_fallacy logical fallacy] which presents the [[opponent]]'s [[argument]] in a way that appears ridiculous, often to the extent of creating a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_man straw man] of the [[actual]] [[argument]], rather than addressing the [[argument]] itself. For example:
*"If [[Einstein]]'s theory of [[relativity]] is right, that would mean that when I drive my car it gets shorter and more massive the faster I go. That's crazy!" (This is, in [[fact]], true, but the [[effect]] is so minuscule that a human [[observer]] will not notice the effect at speeds far less than the [[speed of light]].)
*"[[Evolution]] is ridiculous! If evolution were true, that would mean that all the apes wouldn't be here any more, since they all would have evolved into [[humans]]!" (This is not implied by the theory of evolution, thus the [[argument]] is false.)
This is a [[rhetorical]] tactic which mocks an [[opponent]]'s [[argument]], attempting to [[inspire]] an [[emotion]]al [[reaction]] (making it a type of [[appeal]] to [[emotion]]) in the [[audience]] and to highlight the counter-intuitive aspects of that argument, making it appear [[foolish]] and contrary to common sense. This is typically done by [[demonstrating]] the [[argument]]'s [[logic]] in an [[extreme]]ly [[absurd]] way or by presenting the argument in an overly [[simplified]] way, and often involves an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_consequences appeal to consequences].
Appeal to Ridicule is often found in the form of challenging one's credentials or maturity;
*"Nobody believes in [[socialism]] after [[college]]! Grow up."
The [[argument]] is ridiculed on the basis that having a view commonly associated with [[youth]] is somehow invalid.
Although they appear very similar, this [[fallacy]] should not be confused with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reductio_ad_absurdum reductio ad absurdum], which is a valid [[type]] of logical [[argument]].
==See also==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignoratio_elenchi#Red_herring Red Herring]
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_man Straw man]
==References==
[http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/appeal-to-ridicule.html Nizkor Project - Appeal to Ridicule]
[[Category: Languages and Literature]]
==Origin==
French or Latin; French, from [[Latin]] ridiculum jest
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/17th_century 1690]
==Definitions==
*: the [[act]] of ridiculing : derision, mockery
==Description==
[[Appeal]] to '''ridicule''', also called appeal to mockery, the Horse Laugh, or reductio ad ridiculum ([[Latin]]: "reduction to the ridiculous"), is a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logical_fallacy logical fallacy] which presents the [[opponent]]'s [[argument]] in a way that appears ridiculous, often to the extent of creating a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_man straw man] of the [[actual]] [[argument]], rather than addressing the [[argument]] itself. For example:
*"If [[Einstein]]'s theory of [[relativity]] is right, that would mean that when I drive my car it gets shorter and more massive the faster I go. That's crazy!" (This is, in [[fact]], true, but the [[effect]] is so minuscule that a human [[observer]] will not notice the effect at speeds far less than the [[speed of light]].)
*"[[Evolution]] is ridiculous! If evolution were true, that would mean that all the apes wouldn't be here any more, since they all would have evolved into [[humans]]!" (This is not implied by the theory of evolution, thus the [[argument]] is false.)
This is a [[rhetorical]] tactic which mocks an [[opponent]]'s [[argument]], attempting to [[inspire]] an [[emotion]]al [[reaction]] (making it a type of [[appeal]] to [[emotion]]) in the [[audience]] and to highlight the counter-intuitive aspects of that argument, making it appear [[foolish]] and contrary to common sense. This is typically done by [[demonstrating]] the [[argument]]'s [[logic]] in an [[extreme]]ly [[absurd]] way or by presenting the argument in an overly [[simplified]] way, and often involves an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_consequences appeal to consequences].
Appeal to Ridicule is often found in the form of challenging one's credentials or maturity;
*"Nobody believes in [[socialism]] after [[college]]! Grow up."
The [[argument]] is ridiculed on the basis that having a view commonly associated with [[youth]] is somehow invalid.
Although they appear very similar, this [[fallacy]] should not be confused with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reductio_ad_absurdum reductio ad absurdum], which is a valid [[type]] of logical [[argument]].
==See also==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignoratio_elenchi#Red_herring Red Herring]
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_man Straw man]
==References==
[http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/appeal-to-ridicule.html Nizkor Project - Appeal to Ridicule]
[[Category: Languages and Literature]]
