paralogism

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: pa=ral=o=gism

CIDE DICTIONARY

paralogism, n. [Gr. paralogismo`s, fr. paralogi`zesqai to reason falsely; para` beside + logi`zesqai to reason, lo`gos discourse, reason: cf. F. paralogisme.].

 A reasoning which is false in point of form, that is, which is contrary to logical rules or formulæ; a formal fallacy, or pseudo-syllogism, in which the conclusion does not follow from the premises.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

paralogism, n. Logic 1 a fallacy.
2 illogical reasoning (esp. of which the reasoner is unconscious).

Derivative

paralogist n. paralogize v.intr. (also -ise).

Etymology

F paralogisme f. LL paralogismus f. Gk paralogismos f. paralogizomai reason falsely f. paralogos contrary to reason (as PARA-(1), logos reason)

THESAURUS

paralogism

Aristotelian sorites, Goclenian sorites, argument, argument by analogy, argumentum ad baculum, argumentum ad captandum, argumentum ad hominem, bad case, begging the question, categorical syllogism, circular argument, claptrap, crowd-pleasing argument, dilemma, empty words, enthymeme, fallacy, figure, formal fallacy, hysteron proteron, insincere argument, logical fallacy, material fallacy, mere rhetoric, mode, modus tollens, mood, moonshine, non sequitur, petitio principii, philosophism, prosyllogism, pseudosyllogism, rule, rule of deduction, solecism, sophism, sophistry, sorites, syllogism, verbal fallacy, weak point

ROGET THESAURUS

paralogism

& Sophistry

N intuition, instinct, association, hunch, gut feeling, presentiment, premonition, rule of thumb, superstition, astrology, faith (supposition), sophistry, paralogy, perversion, casuistry, jesuitry, equivocation, evasion, chicane, chicanery, quiddet, quiddity, mystification, special pleading, speciousness, nonsense, word sense, tongue sense, false reasoning, vicious reasoning, circular reasoning, petitio principii, ignoratio elenchi, post hoc ergo propter hoc, non sequitur, ignotum per ignotius, misjudgment, false teaching, sophism, solecism, paralogism, quibble, quirk, elenchus, elench, fallacy, quodlibet, subterfuge, subtlety, quillet, inconsistency, antilogy, a delusion, a mockery, and a snare, claptrap, cant, mere words, lame and impotent conclusion, meshes of sophistry, cobwebs of sophistry, flaw in an argument, weak point, bad case, overrefinement, hairsplitting, intuitive, instinctive, impulsive, independent of reason, anterior to reason, gratuitous, hazarded, unconnected, unreasonable, illogical, false, unsound, invalid, unwarranted, not following, inconsequent, inconsequential, inconsistent, absonous, absonant, unscientific, untenable, inconclusive, incorrect, fallacious, fallible, groundless, unproved, non sequitur, it does not follow, deceptive, sophistical, jesuitical, illusive, illusory, specious, hollow, plausible, ad captandum, evasive, irrelevant, weak, feeble, poor, flimsy, loose, vague, irrational, nonsensical, foolish, frivolous, pettifogging, quibbling, finespun, overrefined, at the end of one's tether, au bout de son latin, intuitively, by intuition, illogically, non constat, that goes for nothing.