Argumentum ad nauseam

{{significantly problematic}}{{title-italics}}{{logicnav}}{{Needs sources}}
{{cquote|[[What proof or evidence do you have that atheism is true and correct?|There is no proof or evidence that atheism is accurate and correct. There is no proof or evidence that atheism is accurate and correct. There is no proof or evidence that atheism is accurate and correct. There is no proof or evidence that atheism is accurate and correct. There is no proof or evidence that atheism is accurate and correct.]]|||[[Shockofgod]]}} 
An '''''argumentum ad nauseam''''' (also known as an '''argument by repetition''') is the [[logical fallacy]] that something becomes [[Truth|true]] if it is repeated often enough. It is a subset of [[Argument by assertion|argument by assertion]] and is an [[Informal fallacy|informal fallacy]]. An ''ad nauseam'' argument that can be easily shown to be false leads to the [[PRATT|"point refuted a thousand times"]].

Due to the modern 24 hour cable [[news]] cycle and the fact that every idiot now has a blog, ''argumentum ad nauseam'' has become particularly prevalent. In [[politics]] it is usually used in the form of a [[talking point]], which is then reduced to a three second sound bite and is repeated at every available opportunity. On the blogosphere it takes the form of a [[meme]], where every like-minded blogger repeats a statement used by a fellow blogger. [[Twitter]], where every message has to be less than 280 (and until recently just 140) characters, has only made this latter form of viral [[propaganda]] worse.

Repeating an opinion again and again seems to convince people that it is true, in large part because it simulates the effect of an appeal to the people (argumentum ad populum).  Moreover, by assuming what needs proof, it is circular, and therefore amounts
to begging the question (petitio principii).  However, that does not apply to arguments such as "Hydrogen and oxygen molecules
combine in a 2:1 ratio to create water; therefore, if you combine hydrogen and oxygen in proper proportion, water will result."
Like redundancy, repetition is not inherently evil, nor does it constitute a logical fallacy (flawed reasoning) all by itself.
If it were, every parent would be guilty of it, as would every teacher, every drill sergeant, and every conductor or director.
It is also important to distinguish between opinions and arguments.  By definition, an argument is a set of premises in support
of a conclusion, whereas an opinion is merely a thought or a belief, whether it has or lacks any evidence to justify or support
it.  Accusing someone of committing a fallacy is not the same as proving it.  Indeed, some of the examples cited here fall far
short of the mark.  Beware of bearing false witness, and of using the weapons of logic indiscriminately, lest they backfire on
those who wield them.  Beware of name-calling ("any idiot with a blog"), which is itself an ad hominem.  And beware of thyself.
Let one whose reasoning is flawless invent the first dismissive label.  Or as the French say, honi soit qui mal y pense.

==Examples==
{{collist|2|
*[[9/11 conspiracy theories|9/11 was an inside job]].
*[[Gamergate|Actually, it's about ethics in game journalism.]]
*[[US|America]] is a [[republic, not a democracy]].
*[[Anti-racist is a code word for anti-white]].
*{{wpl|Carthago delenda est||.}}
*{{wpl|Capablanca chess|”Capablanca’s” pieces|}}{{efn|Not absolutely, just when they are the only pieces added to chess.}}
*[[Germany|Capitalism]] [[Scandinavia|breeds]] [[Venezuela|poverty]].
*[[CNN]] is [[fake news]].
*[[Alt-right glossary#What is a woman?|Define women]].
*Democrats are the [[radical]] [[left]].
*[[Democrat]]s are the real [[racism|racist]]s!
*[[Equality]], not equity!
*[[European Union|EU]] is pretty much the Fourth Reich.
*European countries are examples of [[Socialism]].
*[[Evolution]] is just a [[theory]].
*[[Feminism]] is just the hatred of men.
*[[Examples of God personally killing people|God is good]].
*[[HeadOn|HeadOn, apply directly to forehead! HeadOn, apply directly to forehead! HeadOn, apply directly to forehead! HeadOn, apply directly to forehead! HeadOn, apply directly to forehead!]]
*[[Confederate flag|Heritage, not hate]].
*Leftists [[Welfare queen|just want others to feed them]].
*[[Liberal Party of Australia|Hope, reward, opportunity]].
*[[Liberalism]] is the first stage of [[Fascism]].
*I identify as an [[attack helicopter]].
*[[Great Wall of America|"I would build a great wall, and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me."]] And it'll be ''yuge!''
*[[Israel]] [[Code word|has a right to defend itself]].
*It's [[Adam and Eve]], not [[homophobia|Adam and Steve]]!
*[[Holodomor|It's]] [[Stalin_apologetics#Molotov.E2.80.93Ribbentrop_Pact|all]] [[Uyghur genocide|Western propaganda]].
*Jobs and growth.
*[[Alt-right glossary#Let's Go Brandon|Let's Go Brandon]]!
*[[When does life begin?|Life begins at conception]].
*[[Make America Great Again]].
*[[Mexico]] will pay for [[Great Wall of America|the wall]].
*No blood for [[oil]].
*[[Global warming denialism|"No Carbon tax"]] / [[Global warming conspiracy theory|"Axe the tax"]]
*No passenger railway in the world makes a profit.
*[[Obamacare]] will install [[death panel]]s and kill your grandmother.
*Read ''[[Friedrich Engels|On Authority]]''.
*[[Alt-right glossary#Remember the 6 trillion|Remember the 6 gorillion]].
*[[Ron Paul]] 
[[2008 US Presidential Election|2008]]
 
[[2012 US Presidential Election|2012]]
 
[[2016 US Presidential Election|2016]]
 
[[2020 U.S. presidential election|2020]]
 2024.
*[[Social Democracy|Social welfare]] is [[Communism]].
*[[Pauline Hanson|Stop]] [[Tony Abbott|the boats]].
*[[Taxation]] is theft.
*Thank the straights for your existence.
*[[Thatcher]] saved English football from hooliganism.
*The [[American Civil War]] was about [[state's rights]].
*The [[Origins debate|creation-evolution debate]] is a debate about [[worldview]]s.
*[[Global warming denialism#Hey look! There's been no global warming since 1998|The Earth hasn't warmed since 1998]].
*The "[[Founding Fathers]]" intended for the [[United States|USA]] to be a [[The United States as a Christian nation|Christian nation]].
*[[Adolf Hitler|The Jews are to blame for Germany's problems]]!
*The [[New World Order]] is nearly upon us!
*The [[science]] of [[global warming]] is still unclear.
*There is no [[Gender pay gap|pay gap]]!
*There are no [[transitional fossil]]s.
*There are only [[Gender binary|two genders]].
*[[Trump]] won the [[2020 U.S. presidential election|2020 election]] by a lot!
*[[QAnon|Trust the plan.]]
*[[Ukraine]]'s fight is our fight.
*[[Ukraine#Russian invasion of Ukraine|Ukrainian war]] is [[NATO|NATO's]] fault.
*[[Vaccine]]s cause [[autism]].
*[[Wake up]]!
*"Yes we can." (among other political slogans)
*[[Alt-right glossary#You Will Never Be A Woman (YWNBAW)|You will never be a woman]].
*You're just a triggered [[SJW]].
*[[Zelenskyy]] is a neo-Nazi.
}}

==Parodies==
{{cquote|
"Just the place for a [[Snark]]!" the Bellman cried,<br>
As he landed his crew with care;<br>
Supporting each man on the top of the tide<br>
By a finger entwined in his hair.<br>
<br>
"Just the place for a Snark! I have said it twice:<br>
That alone should encourage the crew.<br>
Just the place for a Snark! I have said it thrice:<br>
What I tell you three times is true."|||[[Lewis Carroll]], ''The Hunting Of The Snark''}}

==See also==
*[[PRATT]]
*[[Argument by assertion]]
*[[Big lie]]
*[[Circular reasoning]]
*[[Conservapedia:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]]
*[[Fun:Creationist argument Bingo]]
*[[Gish Gallop]]
*[[Infinite regress]]
*[[Thought-terminating cliché]]
{{otherlang
|fr=Argumentum ad nauseam (français)
|ru=Аргумент к тошноте}}

==External links==
*{{wpa|Argumentum_ad_nauseam}}
*[http://atheism.about.com/od/logicalflawsinreasoning/a/repetition.htm Flaws in Reasoning and Arguments: Repetition]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

{{logfal}}
[[Category:Fallacious arguments]]
[[Category:Latin phrases]]
[[Category:Informal fallacies]]

Categories: Fallacious arguments, Latin phrases, Informal fallacies