Visual infographic and fallacy summary: Appeal to Motive
Definition & Logical Concept
You challenge your opponent's argument by pointing out their personal circumstances or motives that might bias their view.
Practical Debate Example
Speaker A: „I recommend insulating houses; it saves residents a lot of energy costs.“
Speaker B (Fallacy): „You're only saying that because your company sells insulation materials and you want to get rich off us!“
How to Counter & Defend
Separate motive from truth: 'Even if I sell insulation, the math on energy savings can be verified. Let's look at the numbers.'
Common Synonyms & Alternative Terms
appeal to motive • argumentum ad hominem circumstantial • logical fallacy • debate manipulation
Psychological Mechanism: Why It Works
Podezření z nečistého zisku vyvolává morální odpor a odvádí pozornost od toho, zda jsou předložená data pravdivá.
Common Debate Scenarios
- encountering appeal to motive in debate
- when someone says "You're only saying that because your company sells insulatio..."
Easily Confused With
Informal logical fallacy