Members of the jury, surely you will not find Dr. Costello liable for amputating the wrong leg of his patient. During four years of medical school this poor man groped and struggled just to get by. Unlike his fellow students, he had no rich parents to pay his way. And during residency he was forced to work 16-hour days, rising before dawn and slaving away long after sunset. And now this lawsuit. Nobody deserves to be treated this way.
A) Red herring.
B) No fallacy.
C) Missing the point.
D) Slippery slope.
E) Appeal to pity.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The statement appeals to pity by highlighting Dr. Costello's difficult journey to become a doctor and portraying him as a sympathetic figure who should not be punished for a mistake. However, this emotional appeal distracts from the issue at hand, which is the wrongful amputation of the patient's leg, and does not provide a valid defense for Dr. Costello's actions.

Members of the Jury, Surely You Will Not Find Dr