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

The paralogism really lies in the assumption from which Hume deduced his theory, namely, that every idea is a copy of some impression.

From Logic, Inductive and Deductive by Minto, William

I certainly agree to all the rest with you, but Aristotle's law I think involves a paralogism, for by this argument the heavens should be immobile since they are in a place fitting their nature.

From The gradual acceptance of the Copernican theory of the universe by Stimson, Dorothy

This is a mere paralogism; we can never infer either absolute or infinite from relative or finite.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 6 "Coucy-le-Château" to "Crocodile" by Various

This we conceive to be the boldest paralogism that ever was offered to the world, or palmed upon willing credulity.

From The Spirit of the Age Contemporary Portraits by Hazlitt, William

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

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