By Chet Lake
It is disturbing and embarrassing to me to think that celebrity is
used as a substitute for evidence and good argumentation. We see it quite
often: celebrities persuading us—even telling us in some instances—what to
wear, what to eat, what to buy, and even what to think.
Take this ad as an example:
Take this ad as an example:
(video clip “Demand A Plan to End Gun Violence”)
Authority is an interesting concept and is a central concept in the
philosophy of liberty. However, I do not intend to focus on authority as a
general concept (at least not now), but I would rather focus on the logical
fallacy known as appeal to authority or
argument from authority.
An appeal to authority can be appropriate when the authority cited is
an individual with expertise in the particular subject being discussed. It is especially
helpful if this authority is reputable, i.e., knowledgeable and trustworthy. Of
course, humans are fallible, so an argument with only an expert opinion isn’t
as strong as it otherwise could be—experts can be biased! Ergo, it is useful to
cite plenty of evidence in addition to expert interpretation(s) of that
evidence.
However, appeals to authority are often abused and are used inappropriately, even fallaciously. For example, it is not appropriate to cite celebrities or use their statements or opinions as if they were from reliable, expert authorities. Since a celebrity is not an expert on anything outside his or her own profession, a claim or argument from a celebrity must then be judged on its own merit and should not be given any more weight because the person who uttered it was a celebrity. Celebrities can be astute and insightful, but unless they are backed up with strong/sound argumentation, they can be dismissed and should not be considered persuasive. Unfortunately, celebrities offer their opinions and arguments on a wide range of subjects including, but not limited to, science, medicine, history, sociology, economics, and politics—things they often know next to nothing about—and people are often persuaded by them based on their celebrity alone (hence why they are used in ads like the one I cited).
However, appeals to authority are often abused and are used inappropriately, even fallaciously. For example, it is not appropriate to cite celebrities or use their statements or opinions as if they were from reliable, expert authorities. Since a celebrity is not an expert on anything outside his or her own profession, a claim or argument from a celebrity must then be judged on its own merit and should not be given any more weight because the person who uttered it was a celebrity. Celebrities can be astute and insightful, but unless they are backed up with strong/sound argumentation, they can be dismissed and should not be considered persuasive. Unfortunately, celebrities offer their opinions and arguments on a wide range of subjects including, but not limited to, science, medicine, history, sociology, economics, and politics—things they often know next to nothing about—and people are often persuaded by them based on their celebrity alone (hence why they are used in ads like the one I cited).
