Appeal to the People – Refraction (Bent Thinking) #18

Appeal to The People (Argumentum Ad Populum): Asserting that something is right or true because a large number of people say it is. Refutation: A large number of people agreeing on something does NOT make it right. Example: Adam: Betty, contraceptive use can’t be morally wrong. A recent survey showed that 87% of the American people are in favor of its use. Side Note: In the year 1000, likely 99.9% of humans believed the world was flat. Numbers of believers do not equate to truth. Also, remember that although in a democracy, numbers determine policy, this is not the case in a constitutional republic, which is the form of government we have in the United States.  In the current resurgence of talk about gun control, the most important question is, “what right does the constitution protect in the Bill of Rights? The question should not be, “what weapons do most people consider that citizens need to protect themselves?  The answer to that question goes up and down based on current sentiment and recent tragedies.