What is "Argumentum ad Ignorantiam"?

Argument from ignorance known as appeal to ignorance (in which ignorance represents "a lack of contrary evidence"), is a fallacy in informal logic. Here is a particularly blatant, simple, example, “Although we have proven that the moon is not made of spare ribs, we have not proven that its core cannot be filled with them; therefore, the moon's core is filled with spare ribs[1].” The famous aphorism, “No news is good news,” used all the time, is a classic. In fact, it’s used so often that many of us believe it’s true!

Arguments from ignorance are relatively easy to spot, though they’re used all the time. However, it’s more dangerous use is personal. Some people may say that I have tried to prove “A” but could not, so now I am convinced “A” must be false. The "argumentum ad ignorantiam" is also a form of self-deception, and the logical fallacy based on authority or absence thereof. A weaker form would be to say, “No one has been able to do this, therefore I cannot either.”

I have heard this argument used particularly by atheists. (Bear in mind, we are not making an argument for or against – just looking at arguments used.) They argue that they have studied the matter and found no convincing argument that God exists, and therefore on an “intellectual” basis there can be no God. Similarly, one may say, “I’ve never seen proofs (or evidence) of miracles, therefore there are no miracles.

It is easy to see how ignorance allows an apparently logical conclusion where there is none.

[1] Bennett, Bo. "Argument from Ignorance". www.LogicallyFallacious.com. Retrieved 23 November 2016.

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