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Appeal to force

Using a threat or coercion in place of reasons for accepting a conclusion.

Published 04 August 2026Updated 04 August 2026

An appeal to force, also called argumentum ad baculum, pressures someone to agree by threatening harm or loss. A threat may explain why compliance is prudent, but it does not demonstrate that the threatened party should believe the claim.

Sources

Fallacies (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy / 2024 / Website

Canonical philosophical treatment of fallacy types.