Appeal to faith

An appeal to faith (or an appeal to belief) occurs when someone argues that you must first accept the truth of a statement in order to be able to rationally accept the truth of the statement.

Cogito ergo sum
Logic and rhetoric
Key articles
General logic
Bad logic
v - t - e

The fallacy is a form of circular logic and an informal fallacy.

Form

In reaffirming believers:

P1: I have faith that X is true.
P2: (unstated) Everything I believe is true.
C: X is true.

In shutting down nonbelievers:

P1: It is impossible to determine whether X is true unless you believe that X is true.
P2: You do not believe that X is true.
C: You cannot determine whether X is true.

Explanation
See the main article on this topic: Faith

Faith, by definition, relies on a belief that does not rest on logic or evidence. Faith depends on irrational thought.

Furthermore, privileging a belief by saying that it is immune to criticism from those who don't accept it is special pleading and can never fail, making it circular logic.

Examples
  • "Once you believe it, you will understand!"
  • "If you accept the Lord, you will understand!"
  • "If you would only take Maslow at his word, you would finally get it!"
  • "The way in which I know Christianity is true is first and foremost on the basis of the witness of the Holy Spirit in my heart. And this gives me a self-authenticating means of knowing Christianity is true wholly apart from the evidence." — William Lane Craig combining an appeal to faith with several other fallacies, including an appeal to authority (and a faith-based one at that).
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