Category: Changing the Subject
Definition: The authority is not an expert in the field, experts in the field disagree, or the authority was joking, drunk, or in some other way not being serious (i) the person is not qualified to have an expert opinion on the subject, ii) experts in the field disagree on this issue. (iii) the authority was making a joke, drunk, or otherwise not being serious A variation of the fallacious appeal to authority is hearsay. An argument from hearsay is an argument which depends on second or third hand sources.
Examples:
Proof:
While sometimes it may be appropriate to cite an authority to support a point, often it is not. In particular, an appeal to authority is inappropriate if:
(i) the person is not qualified to have an expert opinion on the subject,
ii) experts in the field disagree on this issue.
(iii) the authority was making a joke, drunk, or otherwise not being serious
A variation of the fallacious appeal to authority is hearsay. An argument from hearsay is an argument which depends on second or third hand sources.
Show that either (i) the person cited is not an authority in the field, or that (ii) there is general disagreement among the experts in the field on this point. (Cedarblom and Paulsen: 155, Copi and Cohen: 95, Davis: 69)