Equivocation
Using a word in two different senses within one argument as if it meant the same thing.
- informal
Equivocation trades on a word that has more than one meaning, sliding from one sense to another partway through an argument while pretending the meaning held fixed. The conclusion only seems to follow because the key term quietly changed definition.
Examples
- “The end of a thing is its perfection; death is the end of life; so death is the perfection of life.” — “end” shifts from “purpose” to “termination.”
- “The sign said ‘fine for parking here,’ so I figured it was perfectly fine to park.” — “fine” shifts from “penalty” to “acceptable.”
Why it works & how to counter
Persuasive because the same word feels like the same idea. Counter it by pinning each key term to a single meaning and checking whether the argument still holds.