(also known as: derailment, “that does not follow”, irrelevant reason, invalid inference, non-support, argument by scenario [form of], false premise [form of], questionable premise [form of])
Description: When the conclusion does not follow from the premises. In more informal reasoning, it can be when what is presented as evidence or reason is irrelevant or adds very little support to the conclusion.
Logical Form:
Claim A is made.
Evidence is presented for claim A.
Therefore, claim C is true.
Example #1:
People generally like to walk on the beach. Beaches have sand. Therefore, having sand floors in homes would be a great idea!
Explanation: As cool as the idea of sand floors might sound, the conclusion does not follow from the premises. The fact that people generally like to walk on sand does not mean that they want sand in their homes, just like because people generally like to swim, they shouldn’t flood their houses.
Example #2:
Buddy Burger has the greatest food in town. Buddy Burger was voted #1 by the local paper. Therefore, Phil, the owner of Buddy Burger, should run for president of the United States.
Explanation: I bet Phil makes one heck of a burger, but it does not follow that he should be president.
Exception: There really are no exceptions to this rule. Any good argument must have a conclusion that follows from the premises.
Tip: One of the best ways to expose non sequiturs is by constructing a valid analogy that exposes the absurdity in the argument.
Variations: There are many forms of non sequiturs including argument by scenario, where an irrelevant scenario is given in an attempt to support the conclusion. Other forms use different rhetorical devices that are irrelevant to the conclusion.
False or questionable premises could be seen as errors in facts, but they can also lead to the conclusion not following, so just keep that in mind, as well.
FAQs
A non sequitur is a conclusion or reply that doesn't follow logically from the previous statement. You've probably heard an example of a non sequitur before, therefore bunny rabbits are way cuter than chipmunks. Non sequiturs are often used for comedic effect in movies, novels, and TV shows.
What is the 7 non sequitur? ›
(7) The fallacy of non sequitur (“it does not follow”) occurs when there is not even a deceptively plausible appearance of valid reasoning, because there is an obvious lack of connection between the given premises and the conclusion drawn from them.
What are non sequiturs examples? ›
Non sequiturs are responses or follow-up statements that are not related to the previous statement or question, like when a person says something completely random. For example, a non sequitur would be if someone asked you how your day was and you answered with a scientific fact about walruses.
What is an example of a non sequitur statement? ›
An example of a non sequitur is the following statement: “Giving up nuclear weapons weakened the United States' military. Giving up nuclear weapons also weakened China. For this reason, it is wrong to try to outlaw firearms in the United States today.”
What does ignoratio elenchi mean? ›
An irrelevant conclusion, also known as ignoratio elenchi (Latin for 'ignoring refutation') or missing the point, is the informal fallacy of presenting an argument whose conclusion fails to address the issue in question. It falls into the broad class of relevance fallacies.
What is an example of a straw man fallacy? ›
A straw man argument is when someone sets up and then disputes an assertion that is not actually being made. For example, if someone says they love the color blue and someone else argues that red is better, asserting that the first person obviously hates the color red, this would be a straw man argument.
How to avoid non sequitur? ›
Any good argument must have a conclusion that follows from the premises. Tip: One of the best ways to expose non sequiturs is by constructing a valid analogy that exposes the absurdity in the argument.
What is another word for non sequitur? ›
non sequitur (noun as in fallacy) Strongest matches. deception falsehood heresy inconsistency misinterpretation paradox untruth.
What is a non sequitur nonsensical? ›
Usage. A non sequitur can denote an abrupt, illogical, or unexpected turn in plot or dialogue by including a relatively inappropriate change in manner. A non sequitur joke sincerely has no explanation, but it reflects the idiosyncrasies, mental frames and alternative world of the particular comic persona.
Why do people use non sequiturs? ›
Non sequiturs are often used in genres such as novels, plays, and poetry to explore themes of existentialism, nihilism, absurdity, and societal critique.
Explanation; A non sequitur is a statement that does not follow logically from what preceded it. An example of a non sequitur is; He likes to read, so I'm sure he'll enjoy surfing. A formal fallacy will have a non sequitur as its conclusion.
How to use non sequitur in a sentence? ›
A thought that does not logically follow what has just been said: “We had been discussing plumbing, so her remark about astrology was a real non sequitur.” Non sequitur is Latin for “It does not follow.”
What is the difference between non sequitur and ignoratio elenchi? ›
Whereas non sequitur is characterized as an argument with an irrelevant conclusion, ignoratio elenchi is characterized as an irrelevant argument to a point at issue. However, this difference is often taken as a difference of viewpoint rather than a difference of kind.
What does sequitir mean? ›
: the conclusion of an inference : consequence.
What is an example of a red herring fallacy? ›
This fallacy consists in diverting attention from the real issue by focusing instead on an issue having only a surface relevance to the first. Examples: Son: "Wow, Dad, it's really hard to make a living on my salary." Father: "Consider yourself lucky, son. Why, when I was your age, I only made $40 a week."
How do you overcome the logical fallacy of non sequitur? ›
Any good argument must have a conclusion that follows from the premises. Tip: One of the best ways to expose non sequiturs is by constructing a valid analogy that exposes the absurdity in the argument.
