What type of argument is illustrated by the statement regarding the need for a new school?

The correct interpretation of the statement regarding the need for a new school as an appeal to ignorance hinges on the idea that it suggests a conclusion based on a lack of evidence to the contrary. An appeal to ignorance occurs when a claim is deemed true simply because it has not been proven false or when it infers that something must be accepted as true because there is no evidence against it. In this context, if the argument states that a new school is needed simply because no one has demonstrated that a new school isn’t necessary, it embodies this fallacy. The focus here is on the assumption of truth despite a lack of affirmative evidence, which is characteristic of an appeal to ignorance.

This approach stands out compared to the other types of arguments. Diversions involve shifting attention from the topic at hand, whereas an ad hominem argument attacks the individual rather than their argument, and a complex question combines two or more queries in a way that presupposes an answer, making it a trick question. Thus, the basis for identifying the argument as an appeal to ignorance is rooted in the logical mistake of assuming truth due to the absence of contradictory evidence.