This is the general category of many fallacies that use emotion in place of reason in order to attempt to win the argument. It is a type of manipulation used in place of valid logic. There are several specifically emotional fallacies that I list separately in this text, because of their widespread use.
Examples:
- Power lines cause cancer. I met a little boy with cancer who lived just 20 miles from a power line who looked into my eyes and said, in his weak voice, “Please do whatever you can so that other kids won’t have to go through what I am going through.” I urge you to vote for this bill to tear down all power lines and replace them with monkeys on treadmills.
Synonyms: appeal to pathos, argument by vehemence, playing on emotions, emotional appeal, for the children