APAGOGICAL argument

« Apagogical » or « apagogic » argument is the name given in law to the argument by the absurd.
According to this argument, unreasonable interpretations of the law must be rejected:

The apagogic argument assumes that the legislator is reasonable and could not have admitted an interpretation of the law that would lead to illogical or unjust consequences. (Perelman 1979, p. 58)

It parallels the psychological argument, which assumes that the legislator is rational and benevolent,see Absurd; Juridical arguments.

According to Alexy, the apagogic argument is one of the four types of arguments that prevail in law, the others being the arguments by analogy, a contrario (opposites) and a fortiori, (1989, cited in Kloosterhuis 1995, p. 140).