Non Sequitur
Meaning: “It does not follow”.
An argument whose conclusion does not follow from the premise. Examples:
“It is supported by the majority . . .
“It is a break with the past . . .
“I am an expert . . .
“It is more accessible . . .
. . . therefore it is right.”
Most fallacies can be interpreted as non sequiturs in some form. Anthony Weston, in his Rulebook for Arguments, further thought:
[Non sequitur is a] very general term for a bad argument. Try to figure out specifically what is supposed to be wrong with the argument.N104
Related entries:
Fallacies, False Inference, Irrelevance, Logic.
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