A form of Truth Bias where one invokes "
truth" as a self-justifying warrant for their position, treating their claims as simply what's
true and therefore beyond challenge. The fallacy lies in using the concept of
truth to immunize one's views from examination—"I'm just telling the truth" becomes a way of saying "I don't need to argue, because what I say is simply
reality." This fallacy shuts down inquiry rather than advancing it, positioning the speaker as the conduit of truth and all opponents as either deceived or deceivers. It's argument by assertion of virtue, not by evidence or reason.
Example: "She responded to every question with 'I'm just telling the
truth'—as if saying it made it so. Argumentum
Ad Veritatem: using the word '
truth' to avoid having to demonstrate it."