Proof text is the use of out-of-context quotes to support an argument, often used with religious texts. It is a logical fallacy and can be used to deceive. Proponents argue it can be useful with proper attention to context.
Proof text is the use of quotation marks out of context to support an argument. Most often, proof text is used in the citation of religious texts, although academic texts are often used. The technique is somewhat related to and is often combined with sophistry, which uses fuzzy logic to support an illogical claim. Test text is generally scorned by pundits as an attempt to deceive a gullible public, and is often regarded as a logical fallacy of authoritarian bias.
In a typical test text, a person will use a quotation, often a Bible verse, as evidence for their related argument. For example, if a person argues that it is okay to disobey speed limits on the roads, he might point out that his religion’s texts say that only God’s law matters, and since God has not set a speed limit, there is no it is reason to follow it.
This type of argument is often called the appeal to authority fallacy. In this use of flawed logic, the arguer bases his position on an idea handed down from an authority figure, such as God. Most evidence texts rely on the alleged infallibility of his authority figure. In other words, it doesn’t matter if the argument makes sense, if the authority figure said it, it must be true.
Another text-proof method is to string together two quotes from the same source as conclusive evidence for an argument. In this form the argument suggests that since both quotes come from an authoritative source, they are not only true, but must be related. For example, if a book began with the sentence “Joe shot himself” and ended with the sentence “and they all lived happily ever after,” a tester might imply that everyone lived happily because Joe shot himself, which is by no means a necessary logical conclusion.
Proof-text’s bad reputation lies in its ignorance of context. While it is obviously possible to logically draw arguments and connections from religious or academic texts, the context of the citation is often deliberately ignored to aid an argument. Occasionally, an out-of-context test text can be used to argue the exact opposite of the original quote. For example, in the “Joe shot himself” example, the reader is left with a possibly incomplete picture. If the actual line is contextually sarcastic or ironic, it could very well mean Joe didn’t shoot himself.
Proponents of proof-texting suggest that, due to its unfavorable reputation, any use of textual support is now too easily dismissed as inherently fallacious. This practice in itself is a logical fallacy, commonly referred to as a “mistake fallacy.” It is certainly possible to construct a logically sound argument using the textual support of authoritative sources, and this practice forms the basis of much religious and scholastic teaching. With proper attention to context, the test text can be a useful tool in teaching.
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