Which fallacy is exemplified in the following statement: ‘There is no such…
2023
Which fallacy is exemplified in the following statement: ‘There is no such thing as knowledge which cannot be carried into practice, for such knowledge is really no knowledge at all’?
Answer: A. Begging the question — CONCEPTAn argument begs the question when a premise assumes, restates, or defines the conclusion that the argument is supposed to establish. Because the…
- A.
Begging the question
- B.
Hasty Generalisation
- C.
Red Herring
- D.
Slippery slope
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
CONCEPT
An argument begs the question when a premise assumes, restates, or defines the conclusion that the argument is supposed to establish.
Because the premise supplies no independent support, the reasoning moves in a circle rather than proving the conclusion.
APPLICATION
The statement claims that knowledge incapable of being put into practice does not exist, and supports that claim by redefining such knowledge as “really no knowledge at all.” The supporting premise therefore presupposes the very conclusion being argued for.
CONTRAST
Begging the question assumes the conclusion within its premise; that is the circular structure used here.
Hasty generalisation draws a broad conclusion from too few or unrepresentative cases; no sample of cases is used here.
Red herring diverts the discussion to an irrelevant issue; the statement stays on knowledge but reasons circularly.
Slippery slope predicts an unsupported chain of escalating consequences; the statement predicts no such sequence.
CROSS-CHECK
Replace “such knowledge is really no knowledge” with independent evidence that all genuine knowledge can be applied. The circular support disappears only when that independent premise is supplied.
Thus, the fallacy is begging the question.