argumentumot

Argumentumot is a hypothetical logical fallacy that combines elements of argumentum ad populum and argumentum ad verecundiam. It is not a recognized or established fallacy within formal logic or rhetoric. The term suggests an argument that is considered valid or true primarily because a large number of people believe it and a respected authority figure also supports it. The fallacy lies in the flawed reasoning that the popularity of an idea, coupled with its endorsement by an authority, automatically makes it correct, regardless of the actual evidence or logical soundness of the proposition. In essence, it relies on the bandwagon effect and the appeal to authority simultaneously, creating a double layer of perceived validation without addressing the substance of the claim. An example might be asserting that a particular scientific theory is correct solely because "everyone knows it's true" and a famous scientist, whose work may be unrelated to the theory in question, once mentioned it positively. The existence of argumentumot as a defined fallacy is debatable, as its conceptual space is largely covered by existing fallacies, but it serves as a useful descriptor for a specific type of persuasive, yet fallacious, reasoning.