Appeal to Authority, Popularity, and Tradition

Not all appeals to authority, popularity, or tradition are fallacious — but many are. The LNAT frequently tests your ability to distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate uses of these appeals. This lesson explains how each works, when each is valid, and how to spot the fallacious versions in LNAT passages.

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Appeal to Authority (Argumentum ad Verecundiam)

An appeal to authority cites a person, institution, or source as a reason to accept a claim. It is fallacious when the authority cited is not a genuine expert on the relevant subject, or when the appeal substitutes for evidence rather than supplementing it.

When Is It Legitimate?