Argumentum ad lapidem

Argumentum ad lapidem is Latin for "argument to the stone". It's a logical fallacy that happens when someone dismisses an argument by simply declaring it pointless or unworthy of consideration, without giving any evidence or reasons to support their claim.

For example, imagine you are having a conversation with your friend about your favorite TV show. You say that you think the show has a great plot and interesting characters. Your friend responds with "That's stupid, and I don't want to talk about it anymore." That's an argumentum ad lapidem because your friend hasn't given any reasons why they think your opinion is stupid, they just dismiss it without any explanation.

It's important to recognize this fallacy because it can prevent meaningful discussions and prevent people from building on each other's ideas. When someone uses argumentum ad lapidem, they are essentially shutting down any chance of discussing the topic further. By avoiding this fallacy, we can have more productive conversations and understand each other's perspectives better.