paralogize

American  

[puh-ral-uh-jahyz] / pəˈræl əˌdʒaɪz /

especially British, paralogise

verb (used without object)

paralogized, paralogizing

1. to draw conclusions that do not follow logically from a given set of assumptions.

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Etymology

Origin of paralogize

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Medieval Latin paralogizāre, from Greek paralogízesthai “to reason falsely,” equivalent to parálog(os) ( see para- ¹, logos) + -izesthai -ize

Explanation

To paralogize is to reach an illogical or false conclusion. When a DNA test says your dog is half beagle and half Chihuahua, but you decide she's definitely a German shepherd, you paralogize. Whenever someone forms a strong opinion in spite of plenty of facts suggesting otherwise, they paralogize. A mayor who blames a city crime wave on immigrants despite studies showing that they are more law-abiding than native-born Americans is making this logical fallacy, which is also known as a paralogism. The word paralogize derives from a Greek word meaning "reason falsely."

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