Appeal to Authority

Relying overmuch on the arguments of "older, wiser" players (especially when the argument is theoretical rather than based on the facts of the current game) can be a fallacious arguments designed to persuade. Sometimes Newbie players will make this assumption because they are unsure of their own skill at catching Scum: "mith says that the second to last person on a Bandwagon is usually scum, so I'm voting for you!" is an example. By invoking the name or ideas of an experienced player, or Paragon of Mafia Hunters, they absolve themselves of responsibility if the theory turns out to be false later.

While appealing to an authority is not always inappropriate (you would trust a physician for medical information), there are several reasons why it should not be used in mafia:

• It is unnecessary. Whether dealing with facts or theory, even an unexperienced player can see the same information that an experienced player can. For that reason, even if the less experienced players come to a different conclusion, their arguments are equally valid.

• The authorities in question are not disinterested. All the players in the game may have their own reasons for their opinion. It is impossible to assume that any experienced players share the same goals as you. Therefore it is a bad idea to trust in someone else's authority.