Fallacy
Appeal to Self-Interest
Also known as: Argument from Personal Benefit
- Category
- Fallacy
- Main group
- Informal Fallacy
- Subgroup
- Irrelevant Appeal
- Difficulty
- medium (2/3)
- Argumentation order
- 1. Argument
Description
Instead of arguing the facts, the audience is promised benefits if they agree with the speaker.
Loosely based on the motto "If everyone thinks of themselves, everyone is thought of."
Example
"If everyone thinks of themselves, everyone is thought of."
- Limitations
Not a fallacy per se – many rational decisions are based on self-interest.
Positive: Can set incentives for desired behavior instead of arguing moralistically ("nudging").
- Researched by
T. Edward Damer
- See also
Appeal to Emotion
- Opposite
Questionable Motives