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CATO INSTITUTE: A public policy research foundation that contributes to the public policy debate inspired by the principles of limited government, individual liberty, free markets, and peace. The Institute is named for Cato's Letters, which are 144 libertarian essays written by John Trenchard and Thomas Gordon and first published from 1720 to 1723, condemning tyranny and advancing principles of liberty. These two Englishmen were inspired by Cato the Younger (95-46 B.C.) a Roman statesman who had of the reputation for honesty and incorruptibility in ancient times. The Cato Institute is a non-profit organization founded in 1977 by Edward H. Crane and is headquartered in Washington, D.C.
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                           FALLACY OF FALSE AUTHORITY: The logical fallacy of arguing that something is "correct" or "true" because an "expert" in an unrelated area says so. This is commonly used by both advertisers, politicians, and anyone who relies an "apparent expert" for the "correct" answers to controversial issues. The fallacy of false authority is commonly used in political arenas and commercial advertising. Relying on experts, even though the experts are not really experts on the topic at hand, appears to give legitimacy to an argument. It is a powerful, but deceptive tool.Suppose, for example, that Chip Merthington has been wrestling over the appropriate stabilization policy to use during a business-cycle contraction--monetary or fiscal. Chip's Uncle Clyde argues that fiscal policy is better because he does not trust monetary policy (and those devious fellows with the Federal Reserve System) since the local bank denied his loan application last year. Uncle Clyde is an excellent barber, the best in the tri-county area. He also makes an excellent pot of chili. But, he is not an expert on stabilization policies. If Chip pleads with his Congressional delegation to choose fiscal policy over monetary policy, based on Uncle Clyde's "expert" advice, then he is committing the fallacy of false authority. Alternatively, Chip is also committing the fallacy of false authority if he accepts hairstyling advice from the Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. It works both ways. Advertising, especially television commercials, is an activity that is most prone to commit the fallacy of false authority. Actors, actresses, athletes, celebrities, and others with recognizable faces offer their "expert" product evaluations. "I'm not a doctor, but I play one on TV. So you should buy this pain reliever." Very seldom do celebrity "experts" have any real expertise about the products they promote. A professional athlete might have insight into the best athletic shoe, but is unlikely to have any better knowledge about hamburgers than Chip's Uncle Clyde.
Recommended Citation:FALLACY OF FALSE AUTHORITY, AmosWEB Encyclonomic WEB*pedia, http://www.AmosWEB.com, AmosWEB LLC, 2000-2024. [Accessed: October 11, 2024].
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Today, you are likely to spend a great deal of time at a dollar discount store wanting to buy either throw pillows for your bed or a package of blank rewritable CDs. Be on the lookout for letters from the Internal Revenue Service.
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The portion of aggregate output U.S. citizens pay in taxes (30%) is less than the other six leading industrialized nations -- Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, or Japan.
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"Life is not a 'brief candle.' It is a splendid torch that I want to make burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations. " -- Bernard Shaw, journalist
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AR
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