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

As it is said by the author of the Nyáya-nirváṇa: The proof of the permanence of the transitory, as being both permanent and transitory, is a paralogism.

From The Sarva-Darsana-Samgraha Review of the Different Systems of Hindu Philosophy by Acharya, Madhava

Finally, according to this theory of Dr. T., he and all those who reason like him, are chargeable, I think, with a palpable paralogism they reason in a circle.

From Calvinistic Controversy Embracing a Sermon on Predestination and Election and Several Numbers, Formally Published in the Christian Advocate and Journal. by Fisk, Wilbur

The two senses of the word "correlation" must be carefully distinguished; it would be a downright paralogism to adopt one of them in the premisses of the reasoning, and the other in the conclusion.

From Creative Evolution by Mitchell, Arthur

The poets accept the existence of the gods from the common notion of men, and then treat all that relates to these deities in accordance with this system of paralogism.

From A History of Literary Criticism in the Renaissance With special reference to the influence of Italy in the formation and development of modern classicism by Spingarn, Joel Elias

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