Foundations Home Meaning Bible Dictionary History Quotations

Hysteron Proteron


Logical Fallacy of Hysteron Proteron

Whenever a logical fallacy is committed, the fallacy has its roots in Agrippa's trilemma. All human thought (without Divine revelation) is based on one of three unhappy possibilities. These three possibilities are infinite regression, circular reasoning, or axiomatic thinking. This problem is known as Agrippa's trilemma. Some have claimed that only logic and math can be known without Divine revelation; however, that is not true. Without Divine revelation, neither logic nor math can be known. Science is also limited to the pragmatic because of the weakness on human reasoning, which is known as Agrippa's trilemma. Hysteron proteron is one of the many smokescreens that are used to cover the fact that the reasoning is based on one of the three fallacies of Agrippa's trilemma.

The logical fallacy of hysteron proteron occurs when a proposition that is yet to be proved is put forth as a true premise. Any premise that requires an assumption or a theory/story or that is based on inductive reasoning commits the logical fallacy of hysteron proteron.

Examples of the Logical Fallacy of Hysteron Proteron

“Molecules-to-man evolution is an established fact of science.” (This is an example of the logical fallacy of hysteron proteron. This premise is yet to be proved. Repeatedly declaring it to be an established fact of science does not make it so.)

“Molecules-to-man evolution is in conflict with the Bible.” (This is true)

"Therefore, the Bible contains errors in that it does not conform to what we obviously know."

If the first premise were not committing the fallacy of hysteron proteron, this would be true, but, since the first premise is unproven, this argument is unsound.

“There is a clear series of transitional forms showing the evolution of land-dwelling animals into whales - clearly a change of one kind into another kind.”

This was put forward as a premise on a blog. It had a link to a biologos page that goes through the standard very creative and imaginative story about whales turning into land animals. The post says that some things are clear, but the only thing that this makes clear is that the post is an excellent example of the logical fallacy of hysteron proteron.


Real Reality Books - FREE Books
The complexity of God’s Way understood in a single diagram Obey your flesh and descend into darkness

How can we know anything about anything? That’s the real question
click here to learn more about being redeemed from sin and set free to serve God in spirit and in truth. click here to learn more about holiness click here to learn more about being changed into the same image click here to learn more about sowing and reaping click here to learn more about the free gift of righteousness. click here to learn more about how faith gives us access to grace and grace does the works. click here to learn more about faith and how it comes. click here to learn more about acknowledging Jesus click here to learn more about how God speaks Who will you listen to?  Click here to learn more. click here to learn more about the pattern of God. click here to learn more about the pattern of God for individuals, marriage, and family. click here to learn more about the pattern of God for the local church click here to learn more about the Church universal