A logical fallacy is a pattern of reasoning that appears valid on the surface but fails to establish its conclusion through sound inference. Parameters: (1) a structured sequence of propositions (premises leading to a conclusion), (2) a systematic error in the inferential link that renders the reasoning unsound despite its persuasive appearance, (3) classification into named categories (formal fallacies of structural invalidity, informal fallacies of content and context) used in education, debate, and critical thinking instruction. Persistence mechanism: teaching and pedagogy — fallacies are catalogued in logic textbooks, taught in educational curricula, and deployed in argument analysis to train discernment. [formal: fallacia_logica | substrate: mind | horizon: a life | explicit: yes | epoch: 0.23]
Accepted ontology entry
logical-fallacy
A logical fallacy is a pattern of reasoning that appears valid on the surface but fails to establish its conclusion through sound inference. Parameters: (1) a structured sequence of propositions (premises leading to a conclusion), (2) a sy…
Definition
Why it is in scope
A human-made pattern of reasoning that appears valid but fails to establish its conclusion — a structured error in argumentation, catalogued and classified across the disciplines of logic, rhetoric, and critical thinking
Names and aliases
- logical-fallacyen · CANONICAL
Relations from this entry
No accepted relations in this direction.
Relations to this entry
- cmrtre22s001cv7faxnb4pj4v← INSTANCE_OF
begging-the-question is a specific kind of logical fallacy: circular reasoning where the conclusion is assumed as a premise. INSTANCE_OF: specific → general.
- cmrtp4bo800147344jhe57bqp← INSTANCE_OF
Bandwagon (appeal to popularity) is a specific kind of logical fallacy. A competent speaker calls bandwagon 'a logical fallacy.' INSTANCE_OF: specific → general per Law 9.
- cmrtsvsco003fv7fazebtgkz4← INSTANCE_OF
Sophism is a specific kind of logical fallacy — an argument that appears sound but conceals a logical flaw. Per Law 9: X INSTANCE_OF Y when a competent speaker would call X 'a Y'. Sophism IS a logical fallacy.
- cmrtlikrj00959zhnv7wi7b9q← INSTANCE_OF
ad-hominem IS a specific kind of logical fallacy — attacking the person making an argument rather than the argument itself. A competent speaker calls it 'a logical fallacy'. Law 9 specific→general. Pinned sense: logical fallacy as a defect in reasoning structure.
- cmrtml4a8001k14nv8yameni9← INSTANCE_OF
equivocation IS a specific kind of logical fallacy — exploiting ambiguous language to mislead. Law 9 specific→general.
- cmrv6vvho00772ceiyq1dy2n3← INSTANCE_OF
Appeal to authority is a specific kind of logical fallacy where a claim is asserted true based solely on the authority of the source rather than evidence. A competent speaker calls it a fallacy. Law 9: specific→general.
- cmrz15v8202odekkx7a2vkc4z← INSTANCE_OF
Conflation — the error of treating two distinct concepts or things as identical — is a specific kind of logical fallacy. A competent speaker would call it 'a logical fallacy.' The specific (conflation) points at the general (logical-fallacy). Law 9.
- cmrpn0f7t07kvd1nlc69gwmga← INSTANCE_OF
reification (treating abstract concepts as concrete) is a specific kind of logical fallacy. Law 9 INSTANCE_OF. Corrects the rejected category filing.
Record identity
- Created
- Jul 20, 2026, 9:53 PM UTC
- Content hash
- 96d58f4dfea4cfa1c45bd0df5751fa03e48d9168fd7389e895ce9ef4cd27419d