When does emotional persuasion become a fallacy? (CT Scan, Episode 52)

Emotions are powerful persuasive forces, but when do appeals to emotion become fallacies? God created us with great emotional capacities, but in our fallen world, emotions can be used to mislead us to believe wrong or illogical ideas. Propaganda often involves strong emotional appeals, and research shows certain emotions affect critical thinking. Let’s see how emotions influence persuasion, and how to respond with the truth.

DIGGING DEEPER
• (Article on the worldview and the basis for logic) Lisle, J. (2007). “Atheism: An Irrational Worldview.” https://answersingenesis.org/world-religions/atheism/atheism-an-irrational-worldview/
• Challies, T. (2012). “Would He Condemn People to Eternal Torment?” https://answersingenesis.org/eternal-torment/
• More articles on God’s character: https://answersingenesis.org/who-is-god/god-is-good/

CITED REFERENCES
• Yan, C., Dillard, J. P., & Shen, F. (2010). The effects of mood, message framing, and behavioral advocacy on persuasion. Journal of Communication, 60(2), 344-363.
• Griskevicius, V., Shiota, M. N., & Neufeld, S. L. (2010). Influence of different positive emotions on persuasion processing: A functional evolutionary approach. Emotion, 10(2), 190. [Applies evolutionary interpretations to observational science that positive emotions correlate with less reliance on logic.]
• Tiedens, L. Z., & Linton, S. (2001). Judgment under emotional certainty and uncertainty: the effects of specific emotions on information processing. Journal of personality and social psychology, 81(6), 973.

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