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Appeal to pity

Using sympathy as a substitute for evidence that a claim is true or a decision is justified.

Published 04 August 2026Updated 04 August 2026

An appeal to pity becomes fallacious when suffering or hardship is offered in place of reasons relevant to the conclusion. Compassion may properly influence a humane decision, but it should not be confused with proof of an unrelated factual claim.

Sources

Fallacies (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy / 2024 / Website

Canonical philosophical treatment of fallacy types.