Agency Dictionary

Fallacy

noun

In Portuguese: Falácia

Philosophy & Ethics

What does “Fallacy” mean?

A mistaken belief or a flaw in reasoning that renders an argument invalid, misleading, or logically unsound. While superficially plausible, fallacious logic fails under rigorous rational scrutiny.

Etymology

From Latin fallacia, "deception, deceit", from fallax, "deceptive", from fallere, "to deceive". Middle English had the forms fallace and fallas, taken through Old French fallace; the spelling in -acy follows the Latin noun more closely. The older general sense of trickery gave way to the sense used in logic, an argument that seems sound and is not, and to the looser sense of a widely held mistaken belief.

Usage note

In logic a fallacy is a defect in the form or the grounds of an argument, not simply a false statement. In everyday English it also means a popular but mistaken belief.

Synonyms

misconception
sophism
error
delusion
paralogism

Often confused with

falsehood: A falsehood is an untrue statement; a fallacy is faulty reasoning, which can even end in a true conclusion.

Word family

fallacious
fallaciously
fallaciousness

Usage examples

This essentially means that it is crucially important for any student to be critical in regard to who they learn with because true experience, fallacy, opinion, and wisdom are all concepts that thread a thin line of information.

Source editions

Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.

Issue.17 - SportsmanshipJune 26, 2023Read the edition

Words of the same theme

Antithesisnoun: A person, thing, or concept that represents the direct or exact opposite of another.
Discursiveadjective: Proceeding by reasoned argument or sequential exposition rather than by immediate visual intuition.
Treatisenoun: A formal, systematic, and comprehensive written work dealing methodically with the principles and evidence of a particular philosophical, scientific, or technical subject.
Maximnoun: A concise statement expressing a fundamental principle, general truth, or practical rule of conduct.
rhetoricnoun: The art of effective and persuasive speaking or writing, especially through strategic linguistic devices.
Tangibleadjective: Perceptible by the sense of touch or capable of being physically grasped and measured in concrete physical reality. It distinguishes concrete material products from virtual or intellectual entities.
Holisticadjective: Characterized by the comprehension of parts as intimately interconnected and explicable only in reference to the whole.
Abyssnoun: A deep or seemingly bottomless chasm, either in physical geography or metaphorical psychological depth. It evokes feelings of unfathomable emptiness or existential peril.
aestheticsnoun: A set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty, artistic taste, and style.
Affectnoun: An expressed or experienced emotion, feeling, or visceral response to a stimulus in psychology and philosophy.
Agapenoun: A selfless, unconditional, and altruistic form of love often associated in theology with divine charity.
Ambiguitynoun: The quality of being open to more than one interpretation; inexactness or uncertainty of meaning.

Also from these editions: terms

Allegiancenoun: Loyalty, commitment, or devoted obligation felt by an individual toward a nation, cause, sovereign, or athletic club. It creates emotional cohesion and enduring solidarity across social communities.
Athletenoun: A person trained to compete in exercises, games, or sports requiring physical strength, speed, stamina, or agility. Athletes submit to rigorous discipline to achieve optimal somatic and tactical performance.
Consolenoun: A text-based command interface inside computer software where system operators and players enter manual code commands. In video games, opening the console allows users to modify internal variables and enter cheats.
Guiltnoun: A remorseful emotional feeling arising from the awareness or belief of having done something wrong or failed an obligation. In sports, athletes often feel acute guilt after making a costly mistake in competition.
Motherlodenoun: A principal geological vein of rich gold or silver ore, or metaphorically a massive source of sudden wealth and luck. In gaming culture, it famously represents the cheat command that awards instant money.
Opponentnoun: A rival person or team competing against another in a contest, sport, game, or debate. In ethical sportsmanship, opponents challenge each other to elevate shared standards of mastery.
Refereenoun: An official presiding over a sporting match or game who enforces the rules, makes binding disciplinary decisions, and maintains fair play. The referee ensures player safety and preserves competitive order.
Simnoun: A virtual human character or simulated autonomous agent controlled by a player inside a life simulation game. A Sim possesses unique personality traits, biological needs, aspirations, and interpersonal relationships.
Simoleonnoun: An informal American slang term for a dollar, famously adopted as the fictional currency denomination within The Sims video game franchise. In simulation games, it is earned through jobs and spent on assets.
Trophynoun: A decorative commemorative object, such as a cup, plaque, or sculpture, awarded to a victor as a tangible symbol of athletic conquest. It marks supreme accomplishment at the conclusion of a tournament.
Whistlenoun: A small wind instrument that produces a loud, high-pitched acoustic sound when blown by an official. In sports, it serves as the authoritative auditory signal to halt play, resume action, or penalize fouls.