ignoratio elenchi

[ ig-nuh-rey-shee-oh i-leng-kahy, -kee ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, Logic.

ignoratio elenchi

/ ˌɪɡnəˈreɪʃɪəʊ ɪˈlɛŋkaɪ /

a purported refutation of a proposition that does not in fact prove it false but merely establishes a related but strictly irrelevant proposition
the fallacy of arguing in this way

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1580–90; < Latin ignōrātiō elenchī literally, ignorance of the refutation; elenchus

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Latin: an ignorance of proof, translating Greek elenchou agnoia

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The attempts, for instance, to disprove the population doctrines of Malthus, have been mostly cases of ignoratio elenchi.

To deny or ridicule any of these beliefs on physical grounds is to commit the fallacy of ignoratio elenchi.

For Ignoratio Elenchi (ignorance of the refutation) see Fallacy.

Why does he immediately add that for the pluralist to plead the non-mutation of such abstractions would be an ignoratio elenchi?

His whole paper is an ignoratio elenchi, and he doesn't touch a single one of my positions.

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