Circulus (theory)
Circulus, also known as circular reasoning or begging the question, is a logical fallacy in which the proposition to be proved is assumed implicitly or explicitly in the premise. In other words, the argument's conclusion is also one of its premises. It's a form of informal fallacy, meaning that the flaw lies in the content of the argument rather than its structure.
The basic structure of circular reasoning is:
- A is true because B is true.
- B is true because A is true.
The fallacy lies in the fact that neither A nor B provides independent evidence for the other. The argument essentially restates the point in different words, offering no actual justification.
Circulus can be subtle and difficult to identify, especially when the argument is long and complex. It often involves using synonyms or restating the same idea in a slightly different way to mask the lack of actual support.
Distinguishing it from other types of fallacies, circulus is unique in that it directly relies on the conclusion as part of the justification for itself. It's not simply an unsupported claim or a faulty inference; it's a closed loop of reasoning that provides no external support for the proposition in question.
In order to avoid the circulus fallacy, it is critical to ensure that premises are independent and provide genuine evidence for the conclusion, rather than simply restating the conclusion in different terms.