C+Robinson



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Appeal to Pity Appeal to Pity- Is a fallacy in which someone tries to win support for an argument by showing feelings of pity or guilt.  Ex: I should not be fined $200 for speeding because I was distraught from hearing news of my brother’s illness and was rushing to the hospital.  The driver is trying to make the officer feel pity for him because of his ill brother. He is trying to make the officer feel guilty for pulling him over for speeding when he is rushing to see his brother. Therefor hoping the officer will not give him a ticket due to the driver’s appeal on the officer’s emotions.

The commercial is using appeal to pity to arguing for smokers to quit smoking. Appeal to pity is shown in this commercial because it makes you feel pity or guilt towards the crying child. It shows how upset the kid is in a few seconds after his mom leaves to make you feel pity towards the child. The commercial is trying to get the audience to feel guilty about themselves for smoking because no parent wants their kids to grow up without them. This commercial makes parents want to stop smoking through the fallacy appeal to pity.

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The commercial is using appeal to pity to try to get you to donate money to Save the Children Foundation. It makes you feel pity for the child shown in the video who is very unhealthy and underfed. It also makes you feel guilty if you don’t donate money knowing that you could have help save a life by donating a little money. This commercial makes you believe you can save a life by donating a little money through the fallacy appeal to pity.

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