fallacious idea

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "fallacious idea" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe an idea that is based on mistaken beliefs or faulty logic. For example, "The politician's argument that raising taxes would decrease public debt is a fallacious idea."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Darwin's critics believed, for example, that species inevitably progress toward more and more complex forms, a fashionable yet fallacious idea of the mid-19th century.

The New York Times - Books

The tragedy is that the years of austerity have not allowed that, and may even have fostered the fallacious idea that Greece's problems are about bad debts and busted banks.

Independent

Back in Britain, we look forward to the end of the Blair era signalling an end to the fallacious idea that the solutions to the intractable problems of the current time - inequality, social disengagement, environmental disaster - are to be found through prayer or divine intervention, rather than in the grubby, compromised human world of real democratic politics and evidence-based argument.

The Guardian - Opinion

Before launching his campaign, in June, 2015, he had been a Democrat (for most of his life), a potential Reform Party candidate (during a brief flirtation with Presidential politics, in 2000), and, starting in 2011, a kind of conservative gadfly, obsessed with the fallacious idea that Obama was not born in America.

The New Yorker

Alas, the Fed;and all too many economists and policymakers;is still chained to the fallacious idea that prosperity causes inflation.

Forbes

There is a pervasive and fallacious idea that the tech sector, which is SF's Hollywood, is a meritocracy, which implies that individuals — by virtue or smarts or gumption — do control their place in it and the world.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

"The breaking-through idea is fallacious … we don't want to break through into their world, we want to make a different world.

The Guardian

I want to say that both of those ideas are fallacious.

The New York Times

That idea, that single, fallacious, rapist-enabling seed of an idea need only find a fertile environment in the minds of zealots to have a devastating effect on women's rights.

Huffington Post

But this idea of superintelligence is fallacious because it assumes that the brain is "like a computer", i.e. a biological information processing machine.

Huffington Post

Recognize fallacies and determine if the fallacious arguments are relevant for the science content.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "fallacious idea", ensure you can clearly articulate why the idea is flawed. Providing evidence or logical reasoning strengthens your argument.

Common error

Don't assume a "fallacious idea" is always intentionally deceptive. Sometimes, people hold incorrect beliefs due to misinformation or lack of understanding, not necessarily malicious intent.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "fallacious idea" functions as a noun phrase, where "fallacious" acts as an adjective modifying the noun "idea". Ludwig examples show it's used to identify and characterize a specific belief or concept as incorrect or misleading.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Encyclopedias

29%

Science

28%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "fallacious idea" refers to an idea based on mistaken beliefs or faulty logic. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and suitability for use in written English. While categorized as "Uncommon" in frequency, it appears across various sources like news outlets and encyclopedias, indicating a broad applicability. To enhance clarity, always provide reasons why an idea is "fallacious". Related terms include "mistaken belief" or "erroneous notion". Remember, using "fallacious idea" doesn't always imply malicious intent; it often points to a simple error in reasoning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

mistaken belief

Focuses on the incorrect nature of the belief.

erroneous notion

Highlights the error in understanding or perception.

false assumption

Emphasizes the incorrect foundation upon which something is based.

flawed concept

Indicates that the idea has inherent weaknesses or defects.

misleading impression

Focuses on the deceptive nature of the idea.

unfounded belief

Highlights the lack of evidence supporting the belief.

deceptive concept

Suggests the idea is designed to mislead.

specious argument

Focuses on the deceptively attractive nature of the argument.

illusory notion

Implies the idea is not real or based on reality.

invalid premise

Emphasizes that the basis of reasoning is incorrect.

FAQs

How can I use "fallacious idea" in a sentence?

You can use "fallacious idea" to describe a belief or concept based on flawed reasoning or incorrect information. For example, "The belief that economic growth always benefits everyone equally is a "fallacious idea"".

What's a common synonym for "fallacious idea"?

A common synonym for "fallacious idea" is "mistaken belief". Both terms refer to an idea that is untrue or based on incorrect information.

Is it redundant to say "fallacious idea", since fallacious already implies an error in thinking?

While "fallacious" inherently means flawed or mistaken, using "fallacious idea" can provide clarity, especially when discussing abstract concepts or arguments. It emphasizes that it's the idea itself that's flawed.

What's the difference between a "fallacious idea" and a "controversial opinion"?

A "fallacious idea" is based on incorrect reasoning or facts, while a "controversial opinion" is a viewpoint that is debated or disputed but not necessarily based on flawed logic. A "controversial opinion" might be valid even if not widely accepted.