Foundations Home Meaning Bible Dictionary History Quotations

Tautology


Logical Fallacy of Proof by Logical Tautology

Proof by logical tautology 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. 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.

The logical fallacy of proof by logical tautology occurs when a statement is made that cannot be falsified simply because of its form. It isn't a fallacy unless it used as an explanation of something or proof of something since the statement contains no real information. Note that rhetorical tautology is not a fallacy, but  is often confused with logical tautology. Rhetorical tautology occurs when repetition replaces significance.

Examples of the Logical Fallacy of Proof by Logical Tautology

"The mechanism of evolution is natural selection, the survival of the fittest."

The tautology here is "survival of the fittest." This is the survival of the survivors, or the fitness of the fittest. Natural selection has problems of its own. Defining natural selection as this tautology is a sure way to cause confusion. If the tautology is used as some kind of validation for molecules-to-man, then it is a fallacy.

"Those living things that survive are more fit because they are more well adapted to live in the environment."

This appears to give a conclusion that the fittest survive and a premise or proof that they are more well adapted for their environment, but all that has happened is that the same thing is repeated twice: to be "fit" is to be "more well adapted to live."

Bill Nye arguing against Creation science: “Also, in this picture, you can see where one type of sediment has intruded on another type. Now, if that was uniform, wouldn’t we expect it all to be even without intrusion?”

To be uniform is the same as being even, but the two are contrasted to give the illusion that the point is being made. Bill was trying to prove the the worldwide Genesis flood didn't occur.

 


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