Appeal to Fear/ Scare Tactics

By Christina Scott and Josh Owen

Definition

• The use of fear that is intended to promote the belief that the conclusion is a valid countermeasure, but the emotional association has no bearing on valid logical inference.

Examples

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8caqMnrvXg

– Palin

• This shows the fear of the situation portraying the possible threat. It encourages the public to vote otherwise and prevent this from happening.

“Can you speak one minute without we land in Hell again? I am sick of Hell!”

– Proctor

Fallacy Tracking: The Crucible

• Act1

• Speaker: Proctor

• Tells how Paris’ preaching is only about the devil.

• Pg. 180

• When Proctor is explaining how Paris only preaches about the devil, it creates fear and suspicion towards Paris.

“You will confess yourself or I will take you out and whip you to your death, Tituba!”

-Paris

Fallacy Tracking: The Crucible

• Act 1

• Speaker: Paris

• Paris is threatening Tituba to confess.

• Pg. 188

• Tituba is convinced she must confess to witchcraft prevent herself from being beaten and killed.

“My wife will never die for me! I will bring your guts into your mouth but that goodness will not die for me!”

-Proctor

Fallacy Tracking: The Crucible

• Act 2

• Speaker: Proctor

• Proctor threatens Mary to tell about the doll in court.

• Pg. 205

• He is using threats to make her tell the truth so Elizabeth isn’t convicted.

“She’ll kill me for sayin’ that! Abby’ll charge lechery on you, Mr. Proctor!”

-Mary Warren

Fallacy Tracking: The Crucible

• Act 2

• Speaker: Mary

• Mary is explaining that if she confesses in court, Abigail will kill her.

• Pg. 205

• Abigail has shown her power and Mary fears repercussion if she disobeys her.

“…she falls to the floor. Like a struck beast, he says, and screamed a scream that a bull would weep to hear. And he goes to save her, and, stuck two inches in the flesh of her belly, he drew a needle out.”

-Cheever

Fallacy Tracking: The Crucible

• Act 2• Speaker: Cheever• Explaining that Abigail was stabbed with a

needle in the stomach.• Pg. 203• In explaining the needle incident, fear is

created in the court. Many of the people may fear that the same thing may happen to them.

Bibliography

• "Fallacy: Appeal to Fear." Holocaust Educational Resource. Web. 15 Feb. 2012.