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Preface
The review continues.
Misericordiam, argumentum ad
Quote
'When we turn to pity instead of reasoned discourse to support a particular contention, we commit the argumentum ad misercordiam. (145).
Lander
Quote
'...Argumentum ad Misericordiam (argument from pity or misery) the fallacy committed when pity or a related emotion such as sympathy or compassion is appealed to for the sake of getting a conclusion accepted.'
Noted sources from Lander University:
Plato, Crito 45c-d, trans. Jowett.↩
Aristotle, Aristotle's Art of Rhetoric trans. Robert C. Bartlett (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2019), 6.↩
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Based on Pirie's example (145). A fictional example:
In asking yourself if Chucky should be convicted by the Canadian government for tax evasion, ask yourself what it will mean for him to be locked in prison, a Mennonite, deprived of liberty, and turned into an outcast within western society.
Chucky pays his taxes, but the example stands.
Pirie writes that what is relevant is guilt or non-guilt, not the effects on the person charged. (145). The introduction of pity does nothing to prove an argument. (145). The author opines that this a fallacious approach used by many defence lawyers. (146). The use of the handkerchief is sometimes used to influence observers to provide someone in question with the benefit of the doubt. (146).
Interestingly, Pirie claims that Charles Dickens: 'A Christmas Carol', appeals to this fallacy. (147). The author explains Scrooge makes a decision contrary to economic reality. (147). I am not an expert on the book or related films. I have not read the text or seen a related film recently. I would state, that within my Christian worldview, I have no theoretical difficulty sharing some of my money and goods with the poor.
'Appeal to pity (argumentum ad misericordiam) A fallacy committed when the arguer attempts to evoke pity from the audience and tries to use that pity to make the audience accept the conclusion.'
HERRICK PAUL (2014) Think with Socrates: An Introduction to Critical Thinking, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
My example of argumentum ad misericordiam...
The local drug addicts on the street have limited mental capacity and therefore cannot be held legally, ethically and morally responsible for any acts committed.
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1. Is all significant ethical and moral capacity diminished in every case?
2. Was all significant and moral capacity diminished before he/she became a drug addict, in every case?
3. If #1 is sometimes 'no', and #2 is sometimes 'no', significant legal, ethical and moral responsibility exists in some cases.
(Legal responsibility should be considered, at least, dependent on the laws that exist, in my humble opinion)
From New Testament theology, significant human, legal, ethical and moral responsibility and accountability is answered with the gospel. Those regenerate (John 3, Titus 3, 1 Peter 1) in Jesus Christ have sins covered through the applied atoning work of Christ on the cross, and death defeated through Christ's resurrection, also applied to believers.
Hebrews 2:14 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
14 Therefore, since the children share in [a]flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, so that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, Footnotes Hebrews 2:14 Lit blood and flesh
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BAVINCK, HERMAN (1918)(2006) Reformed Dogmatics Volume 2: God and Creation, John Bolt (gen.ed.), Translated by John Vriend, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids.
BAVINCK, HERMAN (1918)(2006) Reformed Dogmatics Volume 3: Sin and Salvation in Christ, John Bolt (gen.ed.), Translated by John Vriend, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids.
BLACKBURN, SIMON (1996) Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
CALVIN, JOHN (1539)(1998) The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book II, Translated by Henry Beveridge, Grand Rapids, The Christian Classic Ethereal Library, Wheaton College.
CALVIN, JOHN (1539)(1998) The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book IV, Translated by Henry Beveridge, Grand Rapids, The Christian Classic Ethereal Library, Wheaton College.
CALVIN, JOHN (1543)(1996) The Bondage and Liberation of the Will, Translated by G.I. Davies, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.
COURSON, JON (2005) Application Commentary, Thomas Nelson, Nashville.
CONWAY DAVID A. AND RONALD MUNSON (1997) The Elements of Reasoning, Wadsworth Publishing Company, New York.
GRENZ, STANLEY J., DAVID GURETZKI AND CHERITH FEE NORDLING (1999) Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms, Downers Grove, Ill., InterVarsity Press.
HERRICK PAUL (2014) Think with Socrates: An Introduction to Critical Thinking, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
LANGER, SUSANNE K (1953)(1967) An Introduction to Symbolic Logic, Dover Publications, New York. (Philosophy).
MURRAY, JOHN (1937-1966)(1977) Collected Writings of John Murray, Vol. 2: Select Lectures in Systematic Theology, Edinburgh, The Banner of Truth Trust.
NUTE, ALAN G. (1986) in 'Titus', The International Bible Commentary, F.F. Bruce, General Editor, Grand Rapids, Zondervan/Marshall Pickering.
PIRIE, MADSEN (2006)(2015) How To Win Every Argument, Bloomsbury, London.
SHEDD, WILLIAM G.T. (1874-1890)(1980) Dogmatic Theology, Volume 1, Nashville, Thomas Nelson Publishers.
SHEDD, WILLIAM G.T. (1874-1890)(1980) Dogmatic Theology, Volume 2, Nashville, Thomas Nelson Publishers.
WEBER, OTTO (1955)(1981) Foundations of Dogmatics, Volumes 1 and 2, Translated and annotated by Darrell L. Guder, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
June 8, 2017 posting, edited with additions on December 3, 2023 for an entry on academia.edu.
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