sophism

American  

[sof-iz-uhm] / ˈsɒf ɪz əm /

noun

1. a specious argument for displaying ingenuity in reasoning or for deceiving someone.

2. any false argument; fallacy.

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sophism British  

/ ˈsɒfɪzəm /

noun

1. an instance of sophistry Compare paralogism

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Other Word Forms

• antisophism
  noun

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Etymology

Origin of sophism

1300–50; < Latin sophisma sophistry < Greek sóphisma originally, acquired skill, method, derivative of sophízesthai to act the sophist, become wise; replacing earlier sophim, Middle English < Middle French sophime < Latin

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Explanation

When someone deliberately tries to trick you by making a false statement, that's a sophism. Inventing statistics to back up your personal belief that dogs are smarter than humans is one example of sophism. Fact-checking the statements politicians make is important, in order to uncover sophisms they might be using. If a candidate falsely claims that the crime rate in a city is rising so that he can gain the support of voters who believe he'll be tough on crime, his statement is a sophism. The word comes from the Old French sophime, "fallacy or false argument," and its root, the Greek sophisma, "clever device or stage trick."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sophism

That prompted a Foreign Ministry official to say Pompeo had been “letting loose reckless remarks and sophism of all kinds against us every day.”

From Washington Post ● Apr. 19, 2019

Mixing his sophism with some cynicism, Galbraith explained that such shyness will be outgrown before long.

From Time Magazine Archive

He says indeed that by experiment only can we distinguish a sophism from a demonstration.

From Science and Medieval Thought The Harveian Oration Delivered Before the Royal College of Physicians, October 18, 1900 by Sir Thomas Clifford Allbutt

The second age of Greek philosophy ended in sophism, the third in scepticism.

From History of the Intellectual Development of Europe, Volume I (of 2) Revised Edition by John William Draper

He had so trained and furnished his mind that it rejected instinctively a sophism or a false pretence.

From Letters of Lord Acton To Mary, Daughter of the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone by John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, Baron Acton

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