DEFINIST FALLACY

definist fallacy: translation

The illicit insistence on defining a term in a way that is favourable to one's own side of an argument. Thus a libertarian may insist on defining taxation as theft by the state, or a pro-life supporter may insist on defining a foetus as an unborn person. The term may also be used for the allegedly Socratic fallacy of supposing that unless a term can be defined it means nothing (see Socratic paradox ).