Argumentum Ad Populum Examples in Media, Real Life, Politics, News & Ads

Argumentum Ad Populum Fallacy

What Is Argumentum Ad Populum?

An argumentum ad populum is a fallacy that occurs when it is assumed that it must have some merit because many or all people believe something to be true. This type of argument relies on mass appeal rather than evidence and logical reasoning.

The argumentum ad populum fallacy occurs when an individual assumes that it must be true because many people believe something, or at least more likely than not to be true.

This fallacy can also occur if one person believes something just because other people are doing so as well – this is called peer pressure or groupthink. It is a logical fallacy that occurs when someone assumes something is true because many or most people believe it to be so.

Argumentum Ad Populum Examples

Argumentum Ad Populum Fallacy Examples in Philosophy

Examples of Argumentum Ad Populum Fallacy in Philosophy:

The argumentum ad populum fallacy is committed when a person asserts that it must be true because many or most people believe something to be true.  This reasoning is fallacious because many or most people believe something doesn’t make it true.

 For example, if I were to say, “many people think the earth is flat,” that would not mean the earth actually was flat.

Argumentum Ad Populum Real Life Examples

Argumentum Ad Populum Fallacy in Real Life:

• The majority of people love this product.
• This is the most popular restaurant in town.
• Everyone who has tried this dish says it’s delicious.
•  If you don’t like it, then you’re just not cool enough.
•  It’s wrong to eat meat because most vegetarians don’t eat meat.
•  “You should vote for this candidate because he has the most money.”
•  “This is a good car because it’s popular.”

Argumentum Ad Populum Fallacy Examples in Media

Examples of Argumentum Ad Populum in Media:

The media often uses the argumentum ad populum fallacy to prove a point.

 For example, if the majority of people believe that something is true, then it must be true.

This type of reasoning can lead to false conclusions because not everyone’s opinion matters.

Even if one person thinks that something is wrong, they are still entitled to their own opinion and should not be dismissed.

Argumentum Ad Populum Fallacy Examples in Advertising

Argumentum Ad Populum Fallacy in Advertising:

• A company advertises that their product is the best because it has been in production for a long time.
• A company advertises that their product is the best because many people are using it.
•  A company advertises that their product is the best because they have won awards.
• “You should buy this car because it’s the most popular one on the market.”

Argumentum Ad Populum Examples in Politics

Examples of Argumentum Ad Populum Fallacy in Politics:

The argumentum ad populum fallacy is a logical fallacy that occurs when someone assumes something is true because many or most people believe it to be so.  This fallacy can also be called the “bandwagon effect” and happens when someone believes something is true simply because other people believe in it too.

An example of this would be if you were to say, “The president’s approval rating must have gone up,” but there was no evidence for this claim.

Another example: This politician will make a great president because he has so many followers and people like him

Argumentum Ad Populum in Movies

Examples of Argumentum Ad Populum Fallacy in Movies:

• The Avengers is the best movie ever made.
• In the movie “The Matrix,” Morpheus asks Neo to choose between a red pill and a blue pill, saying that the red pill will allow him to see reality for what it is while the blue pill will allow him to continue in his blissful ignorance of reality.

Check Related: Appeal to Emotions Fallacy Examples

Argumentum Ad Populum Examples in Literature

Examples of Argumentum Ad Populum Fallacy in Literature:

The novel 1984 by George Orwell is a prime example of an argumentum ad populum fallacy.   In the novel, Winston and Julia are in love, but they cannot be together because they live in a society where people are not allowed to have sex or fall in love without government permission.

They decide to rebel against this rule and start having sex anyway, even though it’s illegal.

Other examples are:

• “The people of the village all believed in the old woman’s words, and they were sure that she was right.”
•  “She is a great singer because her fans say so.”
•  “I like this restaurant because it has good reviews on Yelp!”
• The Lord of the Rings is a good book because many people like it.

Ad Argumentum Ad Populum Examples In News

Examples of Argumentum Ad Populum Fallacy In News:

A recent study found that people who drink coffee live longer than those who do not.  The study was conducted by a respected academic institution and published in the Journal of Coffee Research.

It is well-known that drinking too much coffee can lead to health problems, but this study shows it may actually be good for you!.

This argumentum ad populum fallacy is based on the idea that it must be true if many people believe something.

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