Circular Reasoning

[Jitendra Hydonus]

Circular reasoning, from the Latin Circulus in Demonstrando, occurs when the end of an argument comes back to the beginning without having proven itself. This form of reasoning is considered a pragmatic defect, or informal fallacy, rather than a formal logical fallacy because it follows a valid pattern of argument: A proves B.

What is an example of a circular argument?

Examples of Circular Reasoning: The Bible is true, so you should not doubt the Word of God. This argument rests on your prior acceptance of the Bible as truth. Women should be able to choose to terminate a pregnancy, so abortion should be legal. This argument says abortion should be legal because women have the right to an abortion.

[Jitendra Hydonus]

I often find much wasted time with friends because believing something brings all their arguments or views back to the same assumption, that is that there view is correct. For instance you may have someone convinced that you have the money to help them, therefore they will continue to argue that you should help them. They may end up saying you are stingy or that you just do not care about them or even in extreme cases attempt to get your bank account and routing number to manipulate your finances to justify their belief that you should help them and have the means to do so.

In many cases it is not that extreme, however we have to recognize that we cannot always come to a conclusion that satisfies two people. Often we must cool off the situation by temporarily leaving it till we can find a way to circumvent the confrontation or if you will;  the impasse. Often meditation is a means to find a solution that too some degree satisfies the differences between people.

I have found that the interesting thing about the circular logic loop is that there is the basic assumption that for instance money will solve the problem. However, interestingly enough once the financial situation is resolved another one takes its place. So there just doesn’t ever seem to be enough money to resolve the problem and make people happy. As a result we have to eventually consider the fact that money alone will not remedy the situation. It does not give the a lasting happiness but instead continues to create more problems.

[SI]

Hard to talk about a circular topic without it circling back from where it started.

[Jitendra Hydonus]

Hard to talk about a circular topic without it circling back from where it started.

Yes SI as a result; Those who say do not know and those who know say little.

[SI]

That was OK, but the time you had to think about it it should've been better.