Argumentum ad lazarum facts for kids

The argumentum ad lazarum is a type of fallacy. A fallacy is a mistake in thinking or reasoning. This specific fallacy happens when someone believes an idea is true just because the person who said it is poor. It also happens if they think an idea is wrong because the person who said it is rich.

This way of thinking is named after Lazarus. He was a poor beggar in a story from the New Testament who was rewarded in the afterlife. People sometimes use the phrase "poor, but honest" to describe this idea.

The opposite of the argumentum ad lazarum is the argumentum ad crumenam. That fallacy is believing something is true because the person saying it is rich.

What is the Argumentum Ad Lazarum?

The argumentum ad lazarum is also known as the appeal to poverty. It is a type of informal fallacy. This means it is a mistake in how someone uses logic. It focuses on a person's wealth or lack of it instead of the actual facts.

Why is it a Fallacy?

A person's financial situation does not make their ideas true or false. Someone can be poor and have a bad idea. Someone can be rich and have a good idea. The truth of a statement depends on evidence and facts, not on how much money someone has.

Examples of Appeal to Poverty

Here are some examples of how the argumentum ad lazarum might be used:

• Example 1: "Family-run farms are struggling to get by. So, when they say we need to help them, their ideas must be right."

* Why it's a fallacy: The farmers' financial struggles do not automatically make their ideas about help correct. Their ideas need to be judged on their own merits.

• Example 2: "Homeless people say it's hard to find places to live. Therefore, it must be true."

* Why it's a fallacy: While it is likely true that finding housing is hard for homeless people, the truth of the statement comes from facts, not just their poverty. Their experience supports the claim, but the fallacy occurs if someone believes it only because they are poor.

• Example 3: "The monks have given up all their money and things. They must be very wise."

* Why it's a fallacy: Giving up possessions does not automatically make someone wise or enlightened. Wisdom comes from knowledge and understanding, not from being poor.

• Example 4: "You only need to know this about the civil war: the rebels live in simple mud huts. The general fighting them sits in a fancy office with air conditioning."

* Why it's a fallacy: This statement tries to make you think the rebels are right because they are poor. It also tries to make you think the general is wrong because he is rich. The truth about a war is much more complex than how much money the people involved have.

See also

In Spanish: Argumento ad lazarum para niños