reductio ad absurdum

Noun

Meaning

(reduction to the absurd) a disproof by showing that the consequences of the proposition are absurd; or a proof of a proposition by showing that its negation leads to a contradiction

Synonyms

Antonyms

Hypernyms

Examples

Burke imitated Bolingbroke's style and ideas in a reductio ad absurdum of his arguments for atheistic rationalism, demonstrating their absurdity. Source: Internet

Buddhapālita (470–550) has been understood as the originator of the 'prāsaṅgika' approach which is based on critiquing essentialism only through reductio ad absurdum arguments. Source: Internet

However, Abelard in his Dialectica made a reductio ad absurdum argument against the idea that the copula can express existence. Source: Internet

Euclid stipulated this so that he could construct a reductio ad absurdum proof that the two numbers' common measure is in fact the greatest. Source: Internet

Stated in terms of von Neumann ordinals We will prove this by reductio ad absurdum. Source: Internet

There are several proofs that is irrational ; they generally require calculus and rely on the reductio ad absurdum technique. Source: Internet

Close letter words and terms