sophism

English

Etymology 1

From Ancient Greek σοφισμός (sophismós, “wisdom, learnedness”), derived from σοφία (sophía, “wisdom, learning”) +‎ -ism. The English definition of Sophism was corrupted after Plato condemned Greek sophists who charged for their personal rhetorics, often giving fallacious and deceptive reasoning for young noblemen seeking political office.

Noun

sophism (plural sophisms)

1. A method of teaching using the techniques of philosophy and rhetoric.
2. (informal) A flawed argument, superficially correct in its reasoning, usually designed to deceive.
3. (informal) An intentional fallacy.

Related terms

• sophist
• sophistic
• sophisticate
• sophisticated
• sophistry

See also

• half-truth

Translations

method of teaching

• Finnish: sofistiikka

flawed argument superficially correct in its reasoning, usually designed to deceive

• Armenian: սոփեստաբանություն (hy) (sopʿestabanutʿyun)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 詭辯 (zh), 诡辩 (zh) (guǐbiàn)

• Dutch: sofisme n, drogreden (nl) f, m
• French: sophisme (fr) m
• German: Sophismus (de) m
• Greek: σόφισμα (el) n (sófisma), σοφιστεία (el) f (sofisteía)

• Italian: sofisma (it) m
• Japanese: 詭弁 (ja) (きべん, kiben)
• Polish: sofizmat m, sofizm (pl) m (historical)
• Portuguese: sofisma (pt) m
• Russian: софи́зм (ru) m (sofízm)
• Spanish: sofisma (es) m

Etymology 2

Noun

sophism (uncountable)

1. Archaic spelling of Sufism.