Argumentum Ad Intelligentiam

A logical fallacy where one dismisses an argument by attacking the opponent's intelligence, typically with variations of "you're stupid." The fallacy lies in treating IQ as a proxy for correctness, as if being less intelligent automatically makes someone wrong about a particular claim. "You're too dumb to understand" becomes a way of avoiding engagement, a preemptive dismissal that requires no evidence and addresses no substance. This fallacy is the lazy debater's favorite: rather than explain why a position is wrong, simply assert that only stupid people would hold it, thereby positioning oneself as intelligent without demonstrating any actual intelligence through reasoned argument.

Example: "He couldn't explain why her economic analysis was flawed, so he just called her stupid. Argumentum Ad Intelligentiam: when you can't win the argument, attack the arguer's IQ."

Argumentum Ad Intelligentiam by Dumu The Void March 16, 2026