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

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

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

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

I will not say, with certain theologians, "There are false prophets, therefore there are true ones," for that is a sophism of the worst kind.

From Mysterious Psychic Forces An Account of the Author's Investigations in Psychical Research, Together with Those of Other European Savants by Flammarion, Camille

With what clearness! with what force! would President Edwards have dashed this poor flimsy sophism into a thousand atoms, if he had come across it in the atheism of Hobbes!

From An Examination of President Edwards' Inquiry into the Freedom of the Will by Bledsoe, Albert Taylor

Truth and falsehood, sincerity and deceit, logic and sophism are sporting with gracefulness in this singularly astonishing document.

From England, Canada and the Great War by Desjardins, Louis-Georges