false premise
Unsound starting point
A false premise is a statement assumed to be true that is actually incorrect, used as the basis for an argument or conclusion.
Reasoning built on a false premise may be logically valid yet still reach a wrong conclusion: The argument fails because it rests on a false premise.
The phrase often appears in debates and logical analysis.
- fallacyError in reasoning
- assumptionUnverified belief accepted as true
- flawedHaving faults or imperfections
- logicScience of valid reasoning
- argumentReasoned case or dispute
misleading · faulty · reasoning · slippery slope · moving the goalposts · straw man · red herring · loaded question · deception · invalid · lie · bad faith · error · distortion · trick · sophistry · begging the question · circular
- fallaciesstraw man, red herring, circular reasoning, ad hominem, fallacy
- logical fallaciesfallacy, straw man, ad hominem, red herring, slippery slope
- brain teasersriddle, brain teaser, logic puzzles, puzzle, brainteasers
- research errorsmeasurement error, sampling error, systematic error, selection bias, confirmation bias
false, falsely, falseness, falsity, falsify, falsification, falsified, falsifier, falsifiable