Hypertext Webster Gateway: "sophism"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Sophism \Soph"ism\, n. [F. sophisme, L. sophisma, fr. Gr. ?, fr.
? to make wise, ? to be become wise, to play the sophist, fr.
? wise.]
The doctrine or mode of reasoning practiced by a sophist;
hence, any fallacy designed to deceive.
When a false argument puts on the appearance of a true
one, then it is properly called a sophism, or
``fallacy''. --I. Watts.
Let us first rid ourselves of sophisms, those of
depraved men, and those of heartless philosophers. --I.
Taylor.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
sophism
n : a deliberately invalid argument displaying ingenuity in
reasoning in the hope of deceiving someone [syn: {sophistry}]
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