Non sequitur (logic)

Not to be confused with Non sequitur (literary device).

The fallacy of the undistributed middle takes the following form:

Non sequitur (Latin for it does not follow), in formal

logic, is an argument in which its conclusion does not
follow from its premises.[1] In a non sequitur, the conclusion could be either true or false, but the argument is
fallacious because there is a disconnection between the
premise and the conclusion. All invalid arguments are
special cases of non sequitur. The term has special applicability in law, having a formal legal denition. Many
types of known non sequitur argument forms have been
classied into many types of logical fallacies.

1. All Zs are Bs.

2. Y is a B.
3. Therefore, Y is a Z.
It may or may not be the case that all Zs are Bs, but
in either case it is irrelevant to the conclusion. What is
relevant to the conclusion is whether it is true that all Bs
are Zs, which is ignored in the argument.
An example can be given as follows, where B=humans,
Y=Mary and Z=men:

In everyday speech

1. All men are humans.

Main article: Non sequitur (literary device)

See also: Derailment (thought disorder)

2. Mary is human.

3. Therefore, Mary is a man.

In everyday speech, a non sequitur is a statement in which
the nal part is totally unrelated to the rst part, for ex- Note that if the terms (Z and B) were swapped around in
ample:
the rst co-premise then it would no longer be a fallacy,
although it could still be unsound.
Life is life and fun is fun, but its all so
quiet when the goldsh die.
West with the Night, Beryl Markham[2]
3 Arming the consequent
Main article: Arming the consequent

It can also refer to a response that is totally unrelated to

the original statement or question:

Any argument that takes the following form is a non sequitur

Mary: I wonder how Mrs. Knowles nextdoor neighbour is doing.

Jim: Did you hear that the convenience
store two blocks over got robbed last night?
Thieves got away with a small fortune.[3]

1. If A is true, then B is true.

2. B is true.
3. Therefore, A is true.

Fallacy of the undistributed middle

Even if the premises and conclusion are all true, the conclusion is not a necessary consequence of the premises.
This sort of non sequitur is also called arming the consequent.

Main article: Fallacy of the undistributed middle

An example of arming the consequent would be:

The fallacy of the undistributed middle is a fallacy that

is committed when the middle term in a categorical syllogism is not distributed. It is thus a syllogistic fallacy.
More specically it is also a form of non sequitur.

1. If Jackson is a human (A), then Jackson is a mammal. (B)

2. Jackson is a mammal. (B)
1

6
3. Therefore, Jackson is a human. (A)

While the conclusion may be true, it does not follow from

the premises:
1. Humans are mammals
2. Jackson is a mammal
3. Therefore, Jackson is a human

DENYING A CONJUNCT

1. A is true or B is true.
2. B is true.
3. Therefore, A is not true.*
The conclusion does not follow from the premises as it
could be the case that A and B are both true. This fallacy stems from the stated denition of or in propositional
logic to be inclusive.
An example of arming a disjunct would be:

The truth of the conclusion is independent of the truth of

its premises - it is a 'non sequitur'.
Arming the consequent is essentially the same as the
fallacy of the undistributed middle, but using propositions
rather than set membership.

Denying the antecedent

Main article: Denying the antecedent

Another common non sequitur is this:
1. If A is true, then B is true.
2. A is false.

1. I am at home or I am in the city.

2. I am at home.
3. Therefore, I am not in the city.
While the conclusion may be true, it does not follow from
the premises. For all the reader knows, the declarant of
the statement very well could be in both the city and their
home, in which case the premises would be true but the
conclusion false. This argument is still a fallacy even if
the conclusion is true.
Note that this is only a logical fallacy when the word
or is in its inclusive form. If the two possibilities in
question are mutually exclusive, this is not a logical
fallacy. For example

3. Therefore, B is false.
1. I am either at home or I am in the city.
While B can indeed be false, this cannot be linked to
the premise since the statement is a non sequitur. This
is called denying the antecedent.

2. I am at home.
3. Therefore, I am not in the city.

An example of denying the antecedent would be:

1. If I am Japanese, then I am Asian.

6 Denying a conjunct

2. I am not Japanese.

Main article: Denying a conjunct

3. Therefore, I am not Asian.

Denying a conjunct is a fallacy when in the following
While the conclusion may be true, it does not follow from form:
the premises. For all the reader knows, the declarant of
1. It is not the case that both A is true and B is true.
the statement could be Asian, but for example Chinese, in
which case the premises would be true but the conclusion
2. B is not true.
false. This argument is still a fallacy even if the conclusion
is true.
3. Therefore, A is true.

Arming a disjunct

Main article: Arming a disjunct

Arming a disjunct is a fallacy when in the following
form:

The conclusion does not follow from the premises as it

could be the case that A and B are both false.
An example of denying a conjunct would be:
1. I cannot be both at home and in the city.
2. I am not at home.

3
3. Therefore, I am in the city.
While the conclusion may be true, it does not follow from
the premises. For all the reader knows, the declarant of
the statement very well could neither be at home nor in
the city, in which case the premises would be true but the
conclusion false. This argument is still a fallacy even if
the conclusion is true.

See also
Ignoratio elenchi
Modus tollens
Modus ponens
Post hoc ergo propter hoc
Regression fallacy
Fallacy of many questions

References

[1] Barker, Stephen F. (2003) [1965]. Chapter 6: Fallacies. The Elements of Logic (Sixth ed.). New York, NY:
McGraw-Hill. pp. 160169. ISBN 0-07-283235-5.
[2] Quoted in Hindes, Steve (2005). Think for Yourself!: an
Essay on Cutting through the Babble, the Bias, and the
Hype. Fulcrum Publishing. p. 86. ISBN 1-55591-539-6.
Retrieved 2011-10-04.
[3] Board, Prudy Taylor (2003). 101 Tips on Writing and Selling Your First Novel. iUniverse. p. 121. ISBN 0-59529313-1. Retrieved 2011-10-04.

9 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

9.1

Text

Non sequitur (logic) Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non%20sequitur%20(logic)?oldid=648161393 Contributors: Bryan Derksen,

Wayne Hardman, Khendon, Dieter Simon, PhilipMW, Tregoweth, Iulianu, Evercat, Darkonc, Dyss, Charles Matthews, Timwi, Dcoetzee,
Furrykef, Rls, Paul Klenk, R3m0t, Rfc1394, Dodger~enwiki, AstroNox, Brian Kendig, CyborgTosser, Taak, Junkyardprince, Fishal, WhiteDragon, Piotrus, Tels~enwiki, Benzh~enwiki, Lacrimosus, R, TedPavlic, Will2k, Night Gyr, Project2501a, El C, Grick, Longhair, Ctrl
build, DG~enwiki, Jumbuck, Gary, Theaterfreak64, Goatbear, ABCD, Ashley Pomeroy, Curi~enwiki, Aruthra, Gestrin, EnSamulili, Before My Ken, Mandarax, Msiddalingaiah, BD2412, MZMcBride, FlaBot, SchuminWeb, WarpObscura, WhyBeNormal, YurikBot, Hairy
Dude, Tavilis, Woling, Nlu, Lt-wiki-bot, RickReinckens, Shawnc, Scolaire, SmackBot, McGeddon, Punkgeek, Midway, Ciacchi, Mladilozof, RedHillian, Fuhghettaboutit, BesselDekker, Enr-v, John, Gobonobo, Robosh, Ospinad, Stratadrake, Grumpyyoungman01, Bahati,
Tawkerbot4, Pampas Cat, Harryzilber, Albany NY, .anacondabot, Repku, Brewhaha@edmc.net, David Eppstein, Stolsvik, STBot, UBeR,
Reedy Bot, Rvaznyvfgxrvazny, H8jd5, Aervanath, Fooghter20x, Sikvod00, Alcmaeonid, SieBot, Quasirandom, JSpung, ClueBot, JFlav,
Rhododendrites, NuclearWarfare, Resuna, Eebster the Great, SilvonenBot, MystBot, Addbot, Luckas-bot, Amirobot, Pcap, Anypodetos,
RandomAct, Citation bot, Darylms, GrouchoBot, Omnipaedista, SassoBot, Machine Elf 1735, Ambience2000, Bullercruz1, Fortranito,
CobraBot, Obankston, Mastermike14, Chricho, ZroBot, ClueBot NG, Helpful Pixie Bot, Walter Mouton, CSB radio, Sol1, Jtech50,
Mer109, SamWilson989 and Anonymous: 118

9.2

Images

File:Folder_Hexagonal_Icon.svg Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/48/Folder_Hexagonal_Icon.svg License: Cc-bysa-3.0 Contributors: ? Original artist: ?

File:Socrates.png Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Socrates.png License: Public domain Contributors:
Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons. Original artist: The original uploader was Magnus Manske at English Wikipedia Later versions
were uploaded by Optimager at en.wikipedia.
File:Symbol_list_class.svg Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/db/Symbol_list_class.svg License: Public domain Contributors: ? Original artist: ?

9.3

Content license

Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0