What does reductio ad absurdum mean in English?
a reduction to an absurdity; the refutation of a proposition by demonstrating the inevitably absurd conclusion to which it would logically lead.
What type of argument is reductio ad absurdum?
In logic, reductio ad absurdum (Latin for "reduction to absurdity"), also known as argumentum ad absurdum (Latin for "argument to absurdity") or apagogical arguments, is the form of argument that attempts to establish a claim by showing that the opposite scenario would lead to absurdity or contradiction.
What is another term for reductio ad absurdum?
reductio ad absurdum (uncountable) (mathematics, logic) The method of disproving a statement by assuming the statement is true and, with that assumption, arriving at a blatant contradiction. synonyms ▲ Synonyms: apagoge, proof by contradiction.
Is reductio ad absurdum a valid argument?
Reductio ad Absurdum is clearly a valid argument form. Yet logicians tend in their writings either to ignore it or to treat it in a confusing and confused way.
How do you prove reductio ad absurdum?
A method of proof which proceeds by stating a proposition and then showing that it results in a contradiction, thus demonstrating the proposition to be false.
How do you use reductio ad absurdum in a sentence?
It's an entertaining reductio ad absurdum against those who complain about the unfairness of low-cost production by foreigners. The argument that says no individual has power leads to a reductio ad absurdum.
What's the meaning of absurdum?
An illogical conclusion or stateabsurdum (plural absurda) An illogical conclusion or state. [First attested in the mid 19th century.]
What does it mean when we say absurdity?
the quality of being stupid and unreasonable, or silly in a humorous way: Standing there naked, I was suddenly struck by the absurdity of the situation. We laughed about the absurdity of the idea.
What is logic reduction?
reduction, in syllogistic, or traditional, logic, method of rearranging the terms in one or both premises of a syllogism, or argument form, to express it in a different figure; the placement of the middle, or repeated, term is altered, usually to a preferred pattern.
Which philosopher used reductio ad absurdum?
As a dialectical tool, reductio arguments date very far back. The so-called 'early' dialogues of the Greek philosopher Plato are believed to have been representative of the method of his teacher Socrates (who appears in those dialogues as the main character), a method that crucially employed reductio arguments.
How many fallacies are there in logic?
There are two main types of fallacies: A formal fallacy is an argument with a premise and conclusion that doesn't hold up to scrutiny. An informal fallacy is an error in the form, content, or context of the argument.
What is it called when you use an extreme example to make a point?
A straw man fallacy occurs when someone takes another person's argument or point, distorts it or exaggerates it in some kind of extreme way, and then attacks the extreme distortion, as if that is really the claim the first person is making.
What is a reductive argument?
reductive Add to list Share. Reductive things oversimplify information or leave out important details. A reductive argument won't win a debate, because it tries to make a complex issue much too simple.
What is an argumentative fallacy?
Fallacies are common errors in reasoning that will undermine the logic of your argument. Fallacies can be either illegitimate arguments or irrelevant points, and are often identified because they lack evidence that supports their claim.
What is a sound argument?
Definition: A sound argument is a valid argument that has true premises.
What is it called when you use an extreme example to make a point?
A straw man fallacy occurs when someone takes another person's argument or point, distorts it or exaggerates it in some kind of extreme way, and then attacks the extreme distortion, as if that is really the claim the first person is making.
What is the purpose of Reductio Ad Absurdum?
Reductio ad absurdum is a mode of argumentation that seeks to establish a contention by deriving an absurdity from its denial, thus arguing that a thesis must be accepted because its rejection would be untenable. It is a style of reasoning that has been employed throughout the history of mathematics and philosophy from classical antiquity onwards.
Who used reductio argumentation?
The use of such reductio argumentation was common in Greek mathematics and was also used by philosophers in antiquity and beyond. Aristotle employed it in the Prior Analytics to demonstrate the so-called imperfect syllogisms when it had already been used in dialectical contexts by Plato (see Republic I, 338C-343A; Parmenides 128d). Immanuel Kant’s entire discussion of the antinomies in his Critique of Pure Reason was based on reductio argumentation.
What is indirect proof?
This is a process of justificating argumentation that proceeds as follows when the object is to establish a certain conclusion p:
Is reductio argumentation a demonstrative argument?
As this line of thought indicates, reductio argumentation is a special case of demonstrative reasoning. What we deal with here is an argument of the pattern: From the situation
What is refutation in philosophy?
For at the very minimum such a refutation is a process that can be applied to. individual propositions or theses. groups of propositions or theses (that is, doctrines or positions or teachings) modes of reasoning or argumentation. definitions. instructions and rules of procedure. practices, policies and processes.
What does "ad falsum" mean?
a falsehood ( ad falsum or even ad impossible)
Which group of scientists have the strongest understanding of reductio?
But while all three cases fall into the range of the term as it is commonly used, logicians and mathematicians generally have the first and strongest of them in view. The usual explanations of reductio fail to acknowledge the full extent of its range of application.
What is reductio ad absurdum?
Similarly, reductio ad absurdum may refer to a type of argument in which something is proved to be true by showing that the opposite is untrue. Also known as indirect proof, proof by contradiction, and classical reductio ad absurdum .
What is the basic idea of argumentum ad absurdum?
Christopher Biffle. "The basic idea of the argumentum ad absurdum is that if one can show that a belief leads to an obvious absurdity, then the belief is false. Thus, assume someone believed that being outside with wet hair caused sore throats.
What is RAA in argumentation?
In argumentation and informal logic, reductio ad absurdum ( RAA) is a method of refuting a claim by extending the logic of the opponent's argument to a point of absurdity. Also known as the reductio argument and argumentum ad absurdum .
Why do mathematicians call these arguments proofs by contradiction?
They use this name because mathematical reductio arguments lead to contradictions--such as the claim that N both is and is not the largest prime number. Since contradictions can't be true, they make for very strong reductio arguments.".
Can contradictions be true?
Since contradictions can't be true, they make for very strong reductio arguments.". Like any argumentative strategy, reductio ad absurdum can be misused and abused, but in itself it is not a form of fallacious reasoning.
"Proofs by Contradictions"
- Similarly,reductio ad absurdum may refer to a type of argument in which something is proved to be true by showing that the opposite is untrue. Also known as indirect proof, proof by contradiction, andclassical reductio ad absurdum. As Morrow and Weston point out in A Workbook for Arguments (2015), arguments developed by reductio ad absurdum are fre...
Reductio Ad Absurdum in Academics
- Academics and rhetoricians have offered various explanations as to what makes up reductio ad absurdum arguments, as the following quotes demonstrate.
Religion, Philosophy, and Popular Culture
- Reductio ad absurdum has also been used in a variety of areas, from the teachings of Jesus, the foundations of philosophy, and even popular TV shows, as these excepts show.