appeal to authority

An appeal to authority is a logical fallacy where someone argues that a claim is true simply because an expert or authority says so. While trusting experts can be reasonable, relying solely on their opinion without evidence or critical thinking can be misleading. The fallacy occurs when the authority’s expertise isn't relevant to the specific claim or when their statement isn't supported by evidence, leading to an argument that doesn’t genuinely prove the point. It's important to consider the evidence and context, rather than relying solely on authority, to make well-informed conclusions.