Editing Circular reasoning (section)

{{Short description|Logical fallacy in which the conclusion provides the premise}}
[[File:Circular reasoning.svg|thumb|An example of circular reasoning]]
{{Pyrrhonism sidebar}}

'''Circular reasoning''' ({{langx|la|'''circulus in probando'''}}, "circle in proving";<ref>{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Circulus in Probando|volume=6|page=389}}</ref> also known as '''circular logic''') is a [[fallacy|logical fallacy]] in which the reasoner begins with what they are trying to end with.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.iep.utm.edu/fallacy/#CircularReasoning | title=Fallacies | publisher=Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy | date=27 March 2003 | access-date=April 5, 2012 | author=Dowden, Bradley | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141009055518/http://www.iep.utm.edu/fallacy/#CircularReasoning | archive-date=9 October 2014 }}</ref> Circular reasoning is not a formal logical fallacy, but a pragmatic defect in an argument whereby the premises are just as much in need of proof or evidence as the conclusion. As a consequence, the argument becomes a matter of [[faith]] and fails to persuade those who do not already accept it. Other ways to express this are that there is no reason to accept the premises unless one already believes the conclusion, or that the premises provide no independent ground or evidence for the conclusion.<ref>{{cite book | title=Schaum's outline of theory and problems of logic | url=https://archive.org/details/schaumsoutlinelo00nolt_032 | url-access=limited | publisher=McGraw-Hill Professional | year=1998 | page=[https://archive.org/details/schaumsoutlinelo00nolt_032/page/n211 205] | isbn=9780070466494 | last1=Nolt | first1=John Eric | last2=Rohatyn | first2=Dennis | last3=Varzi | first3=Achille}}</ref> Circular reasoning is closely related to [[begging the question]], and in modern usage the two generally refer to the same thing.<ref name="Walton2008">{{cite book |first=Douglas |last=Walton |year=2008 |title=Informal Logic: A Pragmatic Approach |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=9780521886178 |url=https://archive.org/details/informallogicpra0000walt |url-access=registration }}</ref>

Circular reasoning is often of the form: "A is true because B is true; B is true because A is true." Circularity can be difficult to detect if it involves a longer chain of propositions.

An example of circular reasoning is: "[[Alkaline water]] is healthy because it results in health benefits, and it has health benefits because it is healthy".