sophism

argument

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July 14, 2026

Quick Summary

Sophism refers to an argument that appears correct but is actually invalid and deceptive. Sophistry is reasoning that seems plausible on the surface but is unsound. The term originates from the ancient Greek teachers of rhetoric and philosophy known as Sophists. While initially respected for their reasoning skills, later philosophers like Plato criticized them as sham philosophers who would say anything to win an argument. This led to the word "sophist" gaining a negative connotation, meaning a fallacious reasoner. Sophisms were often used in political campaigns to appeal to constituents.123

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Paradoxes and fallacies
A sophism is a fallacy in which the error has been knowingly committed, for whatever purpose. If the error introduced into a calculation or a proof leads innocently to a correct result, the result is a “howler,” often said to depend on “making the right mistake.”
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A sophism is a fallacy in which the error has been knowingly committed, for whatever purpose. If the error introduced into a calculation or a proof leads innocently to a correct result, the result is a “howler,” often said to depend on “making the right mistake.”
Read More