Appeal to ridicule
Also called: Argument from mockery
Making an idea look silly instead of showing it is wrong.
How to spot it
Is a joke, a nickname or an eye-roll doing the work of an argument?
Example
“Oh, so the moon is made of cheese now?”
How to answer it
Laugh if it's funny, then ask what is actually wrong with the idea.
Related
- Straw man: Attacking a weaker version of what someone said, instead of what they actually said.
- Appeal to emotion: Using feeling, such as pity, anger or guilt, in place of reasons.