What logical fallacy is on the tip of my tongue?

[Satsuma]

Is there a name for the type of person or type of behaviour where (apparently) more or less reasonable opinions are put forward as though they are revolutionary or contrary to popular opinion, but when you really consider it, is pretty off colour? I think it's known as a logical fallacy or something along those lines.

For context I am reading an article about a pensioner arrested for stabbing a burglar. There have been no charges made as the Police are obviously investigating the full circumstances but the BTL comments are stacked with "he's a hero! The law is a joke", "bloody criminals get away scot-free", "I wouldn't have arrested him, even if he'd ripped out their beating hearts and eaten them" etc

(I don't mean "sarky git" or "pompous [expletive deleted]" type names, I'm sure there is a known descriptor for this type of thing. I have found things like the 'appeal to nature' and 'appeal to authority', but they're not quite right)

TIA
Sats

[JamesMuenchen]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_spite ?

[Braziers]

This is an example of an absurd rationalisation.

Less a logical fallacy, rather a coping strategy used to relieve or avoid the emotional discomfort of cognitive dissonance. The very real pain felt when in mental confusion trying to hold two conflicting ideas or thoughts.

Unable to find a single, coherent theory to explain both occurrences they make an ad hoc hypothesis, a temporary exception, a special case. that allows them to avoid the emotional and mental pain of re thinking their world view.

It arises most often in individuals who incline towards an authoritarian mindset. A tendency to see events in a simplistic, black or white, right or wrong, good or evil ,either or, view of the world. There are no shades of grey or measured response.

Typically, they are sentimentalist, emotional and irrational and aggressive, absolute and intolerant. Given to exaggeration, hyperbole and rhetoric. Brutal, thuggish, capital punishment and short-sharp-shock, lock -em-up-and-throw-away-the-key .

Moderator Message:
RS: It is about here that we veered off course the rest of this post has been deleted along with the three or four posts that followed. Factual answers only here please.

[Breelander]

... comments are stacked with "he's a hero! The law is a joke" ... (...I'm sure there is a known descriptor for this type of thing. I have found things like the 'appeal to nature' and 'appeal to authority', but they're not quite right)

I think 'appeal to emotion' is closer to the mark...

appeal to emotion
You attempted to manipulate an emotional response in place of a valid or compelling argument
....the problem and fallacy occurs when emotion is used instead of a logical argument, or to obscure the fact that no compelling rational reason exists for one's position.

https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/

[UncleEbenezer]

I don't see anything like a logical fallacy in what you describe. Merely strong opinions, perhaps forcefully expressed. Were you perhaps thinking of the phrase "knee-jerk reaction"? I would have to confess, my own knee-jerk reaction to the story tends towards "good on him"!

Logical fallacy relates to a bigger current news story. A sophisticated nerve agent was used against a Russian exile; the Soviets invented it, therefore the Russians must be guilty. Erm, right, there's no public record of Porton Down (or their peers around the world) ever having produced it, but they've had the capability for a very long time. The Logical Fallacy is the leap from Prime Suspect (which seems reasonable) to a wholly unjustified certainty backed up by ad-hominem whenever the media question it. Cui bono? (who might expect to benefit from a big diplomatic spat)?

[Satsuma]

Many thanks for the replies- I am slightly gutted I missed the fracas that apparently erupted mid thread though!

Having followed the links, I think it is a mixture of all the replies!

JamesMuenchen's "Appeal to spite" has it with the description of "a fallacy in which someone attempts to win favor for an argument by exploiting existing feelings of bitterness, spite, or schadenfreudein the opposing party. (i.e. good guy 'gets' the bad guy narrative)

This led me onto the "invincible ignorance fallacy", which is about "where the person in question simply refuses to believe the argument, ignoring any evidence given" (i.e people pointing out that due process of investigating the death has to be followed).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invincibl ... ce_fallacy

And also touches of "argumentum ad lapidem" ("appeal to the stone"), "fallacious because they fail to address the merits of the claim in dispute", where posters are just saying things like "OAP was in the right, FACT"
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_the_stone)

Braziers then came in with a very informative comment about "absurd rationalisation", which I think also touches on the part where the "he's a hero" posters know the pensioner killed someone (wrong), but because the deceased was a baddie, it's ok?

And then Breelander followed up with "appeal to emotion", "a logical fallacy characterized by the manipulation of the recipient's emotions in order to win an argument, especially in the absence of factual evidence", which is the whole "poor frail old man, fearing for his life, how cna you possibly say he should have been arrested!" without any factual info on the circs.

And finally UncleE points out it may not be a logical fallacy at all, and suggests kneejerk, which is also true - many of the comments are total kneejerk, but I think also coincide with the earlier suggestions.

Whatever it was or is, I found this page (and Bree's https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/) fascinating on the use of language and how it can be spun in so many ways: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fallacies

Sats

[Satsuma]

Also...I see you there @RedSturgeon, changing my original wording - "pink marshmallows" indeed!

[redsturgeon]

Also...I see you there @RedSturgeon, changing my original wording - "pink marshmallows" indeed!

Sorry, but I cannot claim the responsibility for that bit of semantic switcheroo, some time ago stooz switched on an auto programme that comes with the website software that switches [expletive deleted] [expletive deleted] swearwords for "amusing" alternatives!

John

[Breelander]

Sorry, but I cannot claim the responsibility for that bit of semantic switcheroo, some time ago stooz switched on an auto programme that comes with the website software that switches wombling Pink marshmallows swearwords for "amusing" alternatives!

Remember when it was first turned on? The law of 'unintended consequences' turned a simple cooking instruction was into something unintentionally 'amusing'
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