1.
sophistry; quibbling; specious argument; fallacy
A clever-sounding but fundamentally flawed or deceptive argument. Used to describe reasoning that appears logical on the surface but is intended to mislead or evade the truth.
それは詭弁にすぎない。
That is nothing but sophistry.
彼の主張は詭弁だと批判された。
His argument was criticized as sophistry.
詭弁を弄しても、事実は変わらない。
No matter how much you resort to sophistry, the facts don't change.
A word with roots in ancient Greek philosophy — the Sophists were known for using clever but misleading arguments. In Japanese, it always carries a negative connotation, implying intellectual dishonesty.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 詭弁を弄する: to resort to sophistry; to use specious arguments
- 詭弁にすぎない: to be nothing but sophistry
- 詭弁を使う: to use fallacious reasoning
- 詭弁家: sophist; person who uses sophistry
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 屁理屈: quibble; nonsensical logic — more colloquial and less intellectual
- 言い訳: excuse — focuses on avoiding blame rather than logical manipulation
- 論点ずらし: changing the subject; moving the goalposts — a specific type of fallacy
ETYMOLOGY:
詭 (deceive, mislead) + 弁 (speech, argument) — deceptive speech.