| Figure Name | paralogism |
| Source | OED (http://dictionary.oed.com.proxy.lib.uwaterloo.ca/cgi/entry/50171144?); JG Smith (1665) ("paralogismus") |
| Earliest Source | Boethius (?) |
| Synonyms | |
| Etymology | < Middle French, French paralogisme (1380) < post-classical Latin paralogismus false argument or reasoning (5th-6th cent. in Boethius) < ancient Greek {pi}{alpha}{rho}{alpha}{lambda}{omicron}{gamma}{iota}{sigma}{mu}{goacu}{fsigma} < {pi}{alpha}{rho}{alpha}{lambda}{omicron}{gamma}{giacu}{zeta}{epsilon}{sigma}{theta}{alpha}{iota} PARALOGIZE v. + -{iota}{sigma}{mu}{goacu}{fsigma} -ISM suffix. (OED) |
| Type | Chroma |
| Linguistic Domain |
Semantic |
| Definition |
1. A piece of false or erroneous reasoning, esp. one which the reasoner is unconscious of or believes to be logical (as distinct from a sophism, which is intended to deceive); an illogical argument, a fallacy. (OED) 2. False or erroneous reasoning; illogicality. (OED) 3. False reasoning or a sophistical conclusion.; PARALOGISMVS, falsa ratiocinatio, false reasoning or debating of a matter, or a decietful conclusion; derived from [paralogizomai] subdolâ supputatione fallo, vel falsâ argumentatione utens decipio, to deceive by supposition full of deceits and wiles; or to defraud by false reasoning. A Paralogism is a sophistical or deceitful conclusion: it is a manner of argument, which seems true when it is not. (JG Smith) |
| Example |
3. * All sin is evill. |
| Kind Of | Opposition |
| Part Of | |
| Related Figures | |
| Notes | This figure does NOT appear in the Silva Rhetoricae. - Nike Unsure of Type Of; Chose "Opposition" based on JG Smith's def. - Nike |
| Confidence | Unconfident |
| Last Editor | Nike Abbott |
| Confidence | Unconfident |
| Editorial Notes | |
| Reviewed | No |