Description: Basing the truth claim of an argument on the origin of its claims or premises.
Logical Form:
The origin of the claim is presented.
Therefore, the claim is true/false.
Example #1:
Lisa was brainwashed as a child into thinking that people are generally good. Therefore, people are not generally good.
Explanation: That fact that Lisa may have been brainwashed as a child, is irrelevant to the claim that people are generally good.
Example #2:
He was born to Catholic parents and raised as a Catholic until his confirmation in 8th grade. Therefore, he is bound to want to defend some Catholic traditions and, therefore, cannot be taken seriously.
Explanation: I am referring to myself here. While my upbringing was Catholic, and I have long since considered myself a Catholic, that is irrelevant to any defenses I make of Catholicism -- like the fact that many local churches do focus on helping the community through charity work. If I make an argument defending anything Catholic, the argument should be evaluated on the argument itself, not on the history of the one making the argument or how I came to hold the claims as true or false.
Exception: At times, the origin of the claim is relevant to the truth of the claim.
I believe in closet monsters because my big sister told me unless I do whatever she tells me, the closet monsters will eat me.
