Appeal to ridicule is a logical fallacy which presents the opponent's argument in a way that appears ridiculous and mocking it.
Examples
- If Einstein is right that would mean that when I drive my car it gets shorter and heavier. That's crazy!
- You can't have a cat called Fido. Calling a cat Fido would just be silly!
This should be contrasted with reductio ad absurdum which is a valid logical argument form. Ridiculing the person making the argument is specifically an ad hominem attack.
Last updated: 10-16-2005 03:29:45