LessonsSophistical Syllogism: Illusory Premises, Deceptive Resemblances and FallaciesQuiz

لمكان الاشتباه بها لفظاً أو معنى
Because they resemble those premises in wording or in meaning.

In verbal ambiguity, a word appears unchanged while its intended sense shifts. Arabic ʿayn can mean an eye or a spring. “Every ʿayn sees; this spring is an ʿayn; therefore this spring sees” trades on two meanings of one expression.

The key point is that identity of words is not identity of meanings. A shifting middle term can make invalid reasoning look orderly, even when the language resembles a syllogism.

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Deception through wording

Sophistical Syllogism: Illusory Premises, Deceptive Resemblances and Fallacies

لمكان الاشتباه بها لفظاً أو معنى
Because they resemble those premises in wording or in meaning.

In verbal ambiguity, a word appears unchanged while its intended sense shifts. Arabic ʿayn can mean an eye or a spring. “Every ʿayn sees; this spring is an ʿayn; therefore this spring sees” trades on two meanings of one expression.

The key point is that identity of words is not identity of meanings. A shifting middle term can make invalid reasoning look orderly, even when the language resembles a syllogism.