Argumentum ad baculum

{{Short description|Threat of force to make a conclusion accepted}}

{{Redirect-distinguish|Threat of force|Threat of force (public international law)|Threat display}}

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{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}

Argumentum ad baculum (Latin for "argument to the cudgel" or "appeal to the stick") is a type of argument made when one attempts to appeal to force{{cite web |last=Curtis |first=Gary N. |year=2018 |title=Logical Fallacy: Appeal to Force |url=http://www.fallacyfiles.org/adbacula.html |website=The Fallacy Files |access-date=2021-06-24}} to bring about the acceptance of a conclusion.{{Cite web |url=https://global.oup.com/us/companion.websites/9780199331864/stu/supplement/ |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=global.oup.com}}{{cite web |title=Argumentum ad Baculum |url=http://philosophy.lander.edu/logic/force.html |website=philosophy.lander.edu |publisher=Lander University |access-date=2022-07-23}}{{cite journal |last=Woods |first=John |author-link=John Woods (logician) |date=November 1998 |title=Argumentum ad baculum |url=http://logic.sysu.edu.cn/Soft/UploadSoft/200712/20071221103721774.pdf |journal=Argumentation |volume=12 |issue=4 |pages=493–504 |doi=10.1023/A:1007779930624 |s2cid=143386357 |access-date=2023-05-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161124025000/http://logic.sysu.edu.cn/Soft/UploadSoft/200712/20071221103721774.pdf |archive-date=2016-11-24 |url-status=dead}} One participates in argumentum ad baculum when one emphasizes the negative consequences of holding the contrary position, regardless of the contrary position's truth value—particularly when the argument-maker himself causes (or threatens to cause) those negative consequences.{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=crAPEAAAQBAJ&dq=argumentum%20ad%20baculum&pg=PA27 | title=Informal Logical Fallacies: A Brief Guide | isbn=978-0-7618-7254-2 | last1=Van Vleet | first1=Jacob E. | date=28 January 2021 | publisher=Rowman & Littlefield }} It is a special case of the appeal to consequences.{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5c_5AQAAQBAJ&dq=baculum%20appeal%20to%20consequences.&pg=PA202 | title=Argumentation Schemes for Presumptive Reasoning | isbn=978-1-136-68706-8 | last1=Walton | first1=Douglas | date=5 November 2013 | publisher=Routledge }} Argumentation scholar Douglas Walton states that many texts on the matter "take it for granted that ad baculum arguments are inherently fallacious." and continued that "some of the textbooks, especially some of the more interesting accounts, suggest that this type of argument may not always be fallacious, and cite instances where appealing to force or threat or fear could be reasonable in a given context. The issue raised by these provocative accounts is how one should distinguish between the fallacious and the nonfallacious use of the argumentum ad baculum."{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QZVHBAAAQBAJ&dq=argumentum%20ad%20baculum&pg=PT12 | title=Scare Tactics: Arguments that Appeal to Fear and Threats | isbn=978-94-017-2940-6 | last1=Walton | first1=Douglas | date=29 June 2013 | publisher=Springer }}