paralogism

American  

[puh-ral-uh-jiz-uhm] / pəˈræl əˌdʒɪz əm /

noun

Logic.

1. argument violating principles of valid reasoning.

2. a conclusion reached through such argument.

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paralogism British  

/ pəˈræləˌdʒɪzəm /

noun

1. logic psychol an argument that is unintentionally invalid Compare sophism

2. any invalid argument or conclusion

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Other Word Forms

• paralogist
  noun
• paralogistic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of paralogism

1555–65; < Late Latin paralogismus < Greek paralogismós. See para- ¹, logo-, -ism

Explanation

A paralogism is an unintentionally misleading argument. Even if your friend has convinced himself it's true, you'll still be frustrated by his paralogism, "I never wash my hands because germs are actually good for you!" The Greek root of paralogism is paralogismos, "reason falsely," and it's where people end up when they base a belief or statement on false reasoning. It's mainly used in rhetoric and philosophy for a fallacy the speaker believes is true, rather than one deliberately meant to deceive someone. It's a paralogism to conclude that because your plane flight went smoothly when you wore your lucky socks, you won't be safe on airplanes without them.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

paralogism

On this dualistic basis, the ontological argument becomes a manifest paralogism, and lies open to all the objections that Kant brought against it.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 4 "Carnegie Andrew" to "Casus Belli" by Various

But a transcendental paralogism has a transcendental foundation, and concludes falsely, while the form is correct and unexceptionable.

From The Critique of Pure Reason by Meiklejohn, John Miller Dow

Thus it is evident that in all such arguments there lurks a paralogism.

From The Critique of Pure Reason by Meiklejohn, John Miller Dow

A man, who was sensible of this paralogism, could never take Mr Arnold’s views on Church and Religion at all.

From Matthew Arnold by Saintsbury, George