What does fallacy of equivocation mean?
The fallacy of equivocation occurs when a key term or phrase in an argument is used in an ambiguous way, with one meaning in one portion of the argument and then another meaning in another portion of the argument.
Why is equivocation a fallacy?
Equivocation Real-Life Examples Considered a logical fallacy, equivocation fallacies arise from ambiguity. Words or phrases in these fallacies can be used ambiguously or have double meanings. For example: So an argument using equivocation will appear to be valid but given the double meaning of the word, it is not.
What do you mean about equivocation?
: deliberate evasiveness in wording : the use of ambiguous or equivocal language Like any good teacher, he does his best to answer with clarity and minimal equivocation.—
What is an example of a fallacy of ambiguity?
These fallacies of ambiguity appear as Deductive arguments, specifically the fallacies of Equivocation and (I believe) Amphiboly. For example: “All beetles have six legs. John Lennon is a Beatle, so John Lennon has six legs.”
Is equivocation a formal fallacy?
In logic, equivocation (‘calling two different things by the same name’) is an informal fallacy resulting from the use of a particular word/expression in multiple senses within an argument. …
What does equivocation mean in literature?
noun. the use of equivocal or ambiguous expressions, especially in order to mislead or hedge; prevarication. an equivocal, ambiguous expression; equivoque: The speech was marked by elaborate equivocations. Logic. a fallacy caused by the double meaning of a word.
How do you equivocate?
Equivocation is the deliberate use of vague or ambiguous language, with the intent of deceiving others or avoiding commitment to a specific stance. For example, when a person is asked a direct yes-or-no question, and gives a vague response that doesn’t answer the question, that person is equivocating.
What is the fallacy of equivocation and how can it be used to persuade an audience that a conclusion is true?
The fallacy of equivocation occurs whenever a word has one meaning in one premise and another meaning in another premise or the conclusion. Claims are guilty by association.
Does equivocate mean equal?
Equivocation comes from the Latin for “equal” and “naming,” and in equivocation, you use a word that could have a few different meanings, all technically equal, in order to mask what you really mean.
What is the difference between equivocation and Amphiboly?
verbal fallacies: those due to equivocation, amphiboly, combination or division of words, accent, and form of expression. Whereas equivocation involves the ambiguity of a single word, amphiboly consists of the ambiguity of a complex expression (e.g., “I shot an elephant in my pajamas”).
What is an example of fallacy of relevance?
The fallacies of relevance, for example, clearly fail to provide adequate reason for believing the truth of their conclusions. Although they are often used in attempts to persuade people by non-logical means, only the unwary, the predisposed, and the gullible are apt to be fooled by their illegitimate appeals.
Why do we equivocate?
To equivocate is to say something in a way that can be understood multiple ways, especially so that people will think you mean one thing when you really mean another. It’s choosing and arranging your words carefully so that you’re not quite lying but so that your listener winds up deceived or misled.