Appeal to Antiquity

Latin Name

Argumentum ad Antiquitatem

Other Names

Appeal to nostalgia, appeal to tradition

Description

Saying that something is true or virtuous because it was believed traditionally, believed in the past or has a long history. It is often based in the belief that ancient peoples had access to some kind of wisdom or knowledge that has been lost in modern times.

An appeal to the recent past is called an appeal to nostalgia.

Example

Try drinking lemon water to cure your cold; that's what the Aztecs did. The world today has lost their ancient wisdom.

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