Table of Contents

Won't someone think of the children?

Introduction

I thought of this idea at the end of November, 2004, and it stuck with me long enough to put it on the internet, where google will cache it and I will be immortal!
What I propose is that another fallacy be added to the pantheon of logical fallacies - The “Won't someone please think of the children!?” fallacy.

Explanation

I am often irritated by people in the newspaper, on the radio, on the tv, in casual conversation and so on who justify their opinion(s) by stating that A is bad because A is bad for the children. There is a fallacy called Appeal to Authority, which is explained in this way:
“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

I think that crying foul because of the children is the opposite of an appeal to authority, it is an appeal to ignorance.

Examples

  1. We should ban this product because it could harm the children.