Force Argument
(Ad Baculum) meaning argument of the "stick" or the "CUDGEL"!
Definition: An informal logical fallacy in which the arguer THREATENS the persuadee that unpleasant consequences will follow if they do not accept the conclusion. A force argument is fallacious because the threat of force does not necessarily prove the conclusion to be correct.
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Force Argument (Ad Baculum) |
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The Arguer: Hal Cranky Crabby |
Hal Cranky Crabby; more commonly known as Cranky Crabby, is a very troubled crustacean who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and also has obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Cranky nearly lost his life at a seafood restaurant on a fishing peir at a beach and barely escaped from the seafood chefs and the seafood lover in you. He feels that his OCD will keep him safe from seafood chefs and the seafood lover in you and from even thinking about them. He is terrified of any flashy behaviors for fear that they would put him at risk of seafood chefs and the seafood lover in you. Upon his escape, he is befriended by a Sando Aqua Monster named Sabirius ChaKhan of Sando whom he cleans of parasites etc obsessively as a ritual for his "security blanket". In real life obsessive cleaning such as washing one's own hands frequently or keeping everything obsessively spick and span are real OCD rituals that real people with OCD often have.
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The Persuadee: Ewan Kyle Colo |
Ewan Kyle Colo; more commonly known as Kyle Colo, is an easy going and very flashy colo claw fish and as fate would have it, he makes Cranky Crabby very nervous. He tries to convince Cranky Crabby to get some treatment for his OCD and this of course pisses of Cranky in seconds flat. The twin reasons why Cranky Crabby flips out at Kyle Colo are Kyle's flashy lifestyle and telling Cranky to get rid of his OCD.
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Cranky Crabby's "security blanket" |
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a neurological disorder consisting of obsessions and compulsions in which one has an obsessive fear of something and does compulsive rituals to try to alleviate the fear, but it only works for a short time. OCD can only gradually go away with treatment in which one resists the urge for the rituals when the obsessive fears come up, taking a time span of months for example.
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Cranky Crabby's threat: Sabirius ChaKhan of Sando |
Sabirius ChaKhan of Sando is a quite lenient sando aqua monster who encourages Cranky Crabby to be obsessive-compulsive, especially since he loves the obsessive cleaning of his body by that crustacean. He is more than eager to carry out Cranky's threats against Kyle Colo in return for the gratis service that Cranky eagerly provides. In fact, he is Kyle Colo's arched foe even if it were not for Cranky Crabby.
"Ewan Kyle Colo, obsessive-compulsive disorder is by far the BEST security blanket EVER! I need my OCD essentials to avoid seafood chefs and what humans call "the seafood lover in you" when talking to each other about eating guys like me or even thinking about those two types of things that almost killed me. Flashy behavior is by far the WORST ABOMINATION that ever was since it endangers me and puts me at risk of seafood chefs and the seafood lover in humans! If you don't let me have my OCD vitals and continue to be a showy eel, I will summon Sabirius ChaKhan of Sando so he can rip you in two and eat you for LUNCH!" - Cranky Crabby
Let examine this above argument by Hal Cranky Crabby. There is a whole lot wrong with the aforementioned statement. First of all, it is a force argument since Cranky Crabby is threatening Kyle Colo's life with becoming Sando Aqua Monster's lunch. Plus there is no way that one can logically argue in favor of having OCD. It seems that Cranky Crabby is also trying to make Kyle Colo feel sorry for him which is another type of logical fallacy known as a Pity Argument
(Ad Misercordiam). The pitiful state of Cranky fearing for his life due to seafood chefs and the seafood lover in you does not necessarily prove that OCD is the best security blanket or that being flashy is wrong. Plus the threat of Sabirius ripping Kyle Colo in two and eating him for lunch does not necessarily prove that OCD is the best security blanket or that flashiness if bad. OCD is definitely not a good security blanket at all since it is not healthy to be constantly anxious, worried, or paranoid which are some attributes to OCD. Ewan Kyle Colo is not at all swayed by Hal Cranky Crabby's
Ad Baculum.