Appeal to Force (Argumentum ad Baculum)

Anatomy of an Appeal to Force (Argumentum ad Baculum)

Appeal to Force (Argumentum ad Baculum) is an informal logical fallacy in which the arguer threatens (a.k.a. intimidates) the persuadee that unpleasant consequences will follow if  they do not accept the conclusion.  This is fallacious (a.k.a. illogical) because the threat of force does not necessarily prove the conclusion to be correct.  I will use a war junkie's ultimatum against a sexy Colo Claw Fish as a sample.


The Arguer: A war-profiteering company known as Halliburton's share holders

Halliburton is a massive conglomerate that is both an oil company and a military contractor.  Dick Cheney was the CEO of Halliburton prior to being the vice president in George Walker Bush's administration from 2001 to 2009.  Halliburton made big bucks during George's asinine Iraq War that lasted from 2003 until 2010.

The Persuadee: An ultra-effeminate, peace-loving, and anti-war Colo Claw Fish named  Kyro Sparkles Seymour.

Kyro the Colo Claw Fish is an active anti-war demonstrator who frequents the coasts of certain American cites like Washington DC, New York City, and San Diego in protest of the USA's dismal addiction to war.  This sexy effeminate eel is destined to wreck Halliburton as well as to wreck the entire business of war profiteering.  Kyro Sparkles Seymour hates capitalism and militarism equally with a purple passion.  Kyro wants to save the human species from itself.

Halliborton's Conclusion: War profiteering if the BEST business plan ever.

Sadly, war profiteering is very lucrative and there are many other war profiteers besides Hallibureton such as Wall Steet, Lockheed Martin, Bechtel, GE, Blackwater, Northrop Grumman, Texico, Exxon Mobile, etc.

Halliburton's Threat: Grenades

Gernades are hand thrown bombs used by military troops to throw at targets on the ground and in the water.  Halliburton's share holders want Kyro to swim in a sea of shrapnel unless the peace eel accepts their pro-war conclusion.

Sample:

A Halliburton share holder to Kyro the Colo Claw Fish: "Sissy Claw Fish, militarism and war are by far the best business plan that was ever conceived.  You go to Washington to pester the Pentagon, New York City to crash Wall Street, and other cites like San Diego to protest military bases.  We need to keep the Pentagon bloated and obese at all times in order to fight off terrorists.  Wall Street needs to be preserved in order to preserve the stock market.  We need the excessive military bases that we have both at home and abroad in order to defend Old Glory against terrorists and tyrants.  If you bring peace, you are going to wreck our business as well as crash the entire Wall Streets.  So you pansy eel; if you do not agree with us, then we will throw hundreds of grenades at you and make you swim in a sea of shrapnel.  Believe us girly eel, you would be in burning excruciating pain smothered in shrapnel, so please be patriotic and support the military industrial complex."

The threat of tossing grenades into the water at Kyro does not necessarily prove that war profiteering is right.  Kyro rightfully rebelled against the ad baculum and said, "Halliburton, you just committed an informal logical fallacy known as an appeal to force (argumentum ad baculum).  I refuse to give into your force argument; and by threatening to throw tons of shrapnel at me, you just further proved my already air-tight point  that war is horrendous.  A force argument is an informal logical fallacy that threatens the persuadee  that unpleasant consequences will follow unless the persuadee agrees with you.  This is highly illogical because the threat of force does not necessarily prove you right.  Your threat of throwing grenades at  me does not prove that war profiteering is good, and in fact further proves that both war profiteering and war sucks!  Peace rocks and war sucks!  You seriously need to get over this dismal addiction to war.  Capitalism sucks because it enriches the few at the expense of the many, I want a resource-based economy that benefits all.  Wall Street needs to be gone and the Pentagon needs to get slimmed down a lot."

Halliburton's share holders were furious and then sought to make good on their threat and had a grenade party in which all of Halliburton's share holders each threw grenades at Kyro from their lavish yachts.  Kyro then leaped out of the water over one of the yachts with ease.  Kyro was jumping out of the water like a dolphin to demonstrate to the attacking war junkies that he was not going to be intimidated by their grenades and will continue to demonstrate for peace.  The war addicts are offended by the site of Kyro's belly and they each hid their face whenever he leaped over their yacht.  The Halliburton share holder who said the force argument yelled, "Kyro, you are now performing indecent exposure!"  Kyro asked, "What am I doing that you consider to be indecent exposure?"  The angriest share holder who used the ad baculum answered, "We hate the sight of your belly and your floppy fins and we order you to cover up your belly and fins, that is what me mean by you doing indecent exposure."  Kyro replied, "Share holders, there is nothing wrong with my body, you need to stop freaking out about me displaying my sexy fins and my erotic belly, it is NOT indecent, it is perfectly natural.  War, war profiteering, and your force argument on the other hand are indecent.  You guys are so selfish and greedy and only think of yourselves, you don't care for those you send off to fight and die in wars.  Many military familes grieve because of self-centered pigs like you.  I will kick out the war junkies!  You guys are addicted to war and don't you even try to deny it."  Kyro had beaten the share holders and their grenade-chucking yachts.