Fallacy: Circular Reasoning
Deductive Reasoning (Valid)
- Sports Fan #1: What makes you say Australian Rules
Football is the most exciting sport in the world?
- Sports Fan #2: Because it is the fastest and highest scoring form of football, and whatever is the fastest and highest scoring form of football must be the most exciting sport in the world.
Circular Reasoning (Fallacious)
- Sports Fan #1: What makes you say Australian Rules
Football is the most exciting sport in the world?
- Sports Fan #2: Because it is.
Often, however, circular reasoning is more subtle than this: it depends on an assumption not stated but assumed. Consider the famous argument of the French philosopher, René Descartes: "I think, therefore I am." Descartes has begged the question here, because when he said "I think," he'd already implied "I am" (or how else could he think?). Yet his fallacy continues to persuade people, over three hundred years later.
Exercises:
1. Which of the following is not an example of the fallacy of circular reasoning (or begging the question)?
1. Which of the following is not an example of the fallacy of circular reasoning (or begging the question)? You answered:
I like vanilla ice cream because it's my favorite kind.
If we define your "favorite kind" of ice cream as the flavor you like the most, then vanilla, your favorite, is certainly one that you "like." So the conclusion, that you like it, is already assumed in the premise, that it's your favorite. Compare this to a deductive argument like, "I ordered vanilla ice cream, because it's my favorite kind, and I always order the kind I like the most."
1. Which of the following is not an example of the fallacy of circular reasoning (or begging the question)? You answered:
The charges of physical abuse are absolutely untrue, because the police
would never do something like that.
How does the speaker know the police didn't do it? Because they "would never do something like that." Sounds like begging the question. Perhaps they didn't do it; perhaps they are innocent of the charges. But using circular reasoning like this will not help to defend them. Instead, arguments should be presented about what was done, or why it would be impossible for police officers to have abused anyone.
1. 1. Which of the following is not
an example of the fallacy of circular reasoning (or begging the question)?
You answered:
The assumption here ("because") is that Nader is better than the other
candidates, and the conclusion is that Nader is the best. Unless there is
a claim made about why he is the best, which we don't have here, this
assumes what it is supposed to be proving, and is therefore an example of
the fallacy of circular reasoning.
1. Which of the following is not
an example of the fallacy of circular reasoning (or begging the question)?
You answered:
This is a valid deduction, with the stated premise of "Hollywood can't make
an action movie without a big star," and the unstated premise of "Arnold
Schwarzenegger is a big star," leading to the conclusion, "They signed
Arnold Schwarzenegger to play the lead." Of course, the wording would need
to be changed somewhat to make those three claims fit the form of a
syllogism, but it's pretty close as is. Compare this with related examples
of begging the question:
You have finished the section on the fallacy of shifting the
burden of truth. Choose one of the following to go directly to another
fallacy:
Ralph Nader was the best candidate for president, because he was
totally better than any of the others.
They signed Arnold Schwarzenegger to play the lead, because Hollywood can't
make an action movie without a big star.
"Arnold Schwarzenegger was the best actor
for the role because he's Arnold Schwarzenegger."
"Arnold Schwarzenegger was the best actor for
the role because there's just no one else who is better."
"Arnold Schwarzenegger was the best actor for
the role because we wouldn't even consider second-best!"