Petros Agapetos
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The Argument from Ignorance - Argumentum ad ignorantiam
The argumentum ad ignorantiam (also known as the argument from ignorance) is a logical fallacy wherein the speaker claims that a proposition is true because it has not been shown to be false, or vice versa. The argument is a form of non sequitur and a false dichotomy.
The Fallacy
Someone using the argument from ignorance will generally claim that either:
1. They don't know how an argument could be false, therefore it must be true.
2. They don't know how an argument could be true, therefore it must be false.
They are arguing for a particular default position that they prefer. If there is scientific evidence against their default position, it will frequently be dismissed or ignored.Since scientists cannot prove that global warming will occur, it probably won't.
The argumentum ad ignorantiam (also known as the argument from ignorance) is a logical fallacy wherein the speaker claims that a proposition is true because it has not been shown to be false, or vice versa. The argument is a form of non sequitur and a false dichotomy.
The Fallacy
Someone using the argument from ignorance will generally claim that either:
1. They don't know how an argument could be false, therefore it must be true.
2. They don't know how an argument could be true, therefore it must be false.
They are arguing for a particular default position that they prefer. If there is scientific evidence against their default position, it will frequently be dismissed or ignored.Since scientists cannot prove that global warming will occur, it probably won't.