Sophism: meaning, definitions and examples

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sophism

 

[ หˆsษ’fษชzษ™m ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

logical fallacy

A sophism is a deceptive or misleading argument that seems valid on the surface but is actually fallacious. It is often used in philosophical, political, or rhetorical contexts to persuade or confuse others. Sophisms can be intentionally constructed to mislead or can arise from erroneous reasoning.

Synonyms

fallacy, misleading argument, rhetorical trick, specious argument

Examples of usage

  • The politician's speech was full of sophisms designed to sway public opinion.
  • Philosophers often critique sophisms for their lack of logical soundness.
  • In debates, sophisms can distract from the real issues at hand.

Translations

Translations of the word "sophism" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น sofisma

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคธเฅ‰เคซเคผเคฟเคœเคผเฅเคฎ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Sophismus

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ sofisme

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ัะพั„ั–ะทะผ

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ sofizmat

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ใ‚ฝใƒ•ใ‚ฃใ‚บใƒ 

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท sophisme

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ sofisma

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท sofizm

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ์†Œํ”ผ์ฆ˜

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ุณูุณุทุฉ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ sofismus

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ sofizmus

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ่ฏก่พฉ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ sofizem

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ sofismi

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ัะพั„ะธะทะผ

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒกแƒแƒคแƒ˜แƒ–แƒ›แƒ˜

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ sofizma

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ sofisma

Etymology

The term 'sophism' originates from the ancient Greek word 'sophisma', which means 'a clever or cunning argument'. It derives from 'sophistes', meaning 'wise person' or 'sage', often referring to those who were skilled in crafting arguments and rhetoric. In classical Greece, sophists were educators who taught persuasive speaking and the art of argumentation, but they sometimes fell under criticism for their use of deceptive reasoning. Over time, the term 'sophism' evolved to specifically denote arguments that are designed to mislead or deceive, particularly in logic and philosophy.

Word Frequency Rank

This word's position of #34,768 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.