Adversaries Quote by John Stuart Mill
“It must be granted that in every syllogism, considered as an argument to prove the conclusion, there is a petitio principii. When we say, All men are mortal Socrates is a man therefore Socrates is mortal; it is unanswerably urged by the adversaries of the syllogistic theory, that the proposition, Socrates is mortal.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: "A System of Logic", 1843
Logical arguments must avoid assuming the conclusion; circular reasoning undermines proof and critical thinking.
In simple terms: Avoid circular reasoning.
Key Takeaway
Check premises for bias.
Themes
logic
critical thinking
philosophy
Mood
analytical
educational
Type
philosophical
instructive
When to use this quote
- academic writing
- debate
- policy analysis
- everyday arguments
Key Concepts
fallacy
petitio principii
Questions to Reflect On
- Can you spot a hidden assumption?
- How does this affect decision making?
A Different Perspective
People may not recognize subtle circularity.
![“[For people] to refuse a hearing to an opinion, because they are sure that it is false, is to assume that their certainty is the same thing as absolute certainty. All silencing of discussion is an assumption of infallibility.” quote by John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c53/john-stuart-mill-477_doubt_for-people-to-refuse-a-hearing-to-an-opi_63929.jpg)
