What is the difference between ambiguity and equivocation?
is that equivocation is (logic) a logical fallacy resulting from the use of multiple meanings of a single expression while ambiguity is (countable) something, particulary words and sentences, that is open to more than one interpretation, explanation or meaning, if that meaning etc cannot be determined from its context.
How do you use equivocation?
Examples of equivocate in a Sentence The applicant seemed to be equivocating when we asked him about his last job. When asked about her tax plan, the candidate didn’t equivocate.
Does equivocate mean equal?
Equivocate and its adjective and noun relations, equivocal and equivocation, come from Late Latin aequivocus, itself from aequi-, meaning “equal” or “equally,” and voc- or vox, meaning “voice.” “Equal voice” sounds like a nicely egalitarian kind of notion, but in this case it’s conflicting interpretations that have …
What is equivocation literature?
Commonly known as “doublespeak,” equivocation (pronounced ee-QUIV-oh-KAY-shun) is the use of vague language to hide one’s meaning or to avoid committing to a point of view.
Why is equivocation a fallacy?
Considered a logical fallacy, equivocation fallacies arise from ambiguity. Words or phrases in these fallacies can be used ambiguously or have double meanings. So an argument using equivocation will appear to be valid but given the double meaning of the word, it is not.
How do you identify equivocation?
Equivocation is the deliberate use of vague or ambiguous language, with the intent of deceiving others or avoiding commitment to a specific stance. For example, when a person is asked a direct yes-or-no question, and gives a vague response that doesn’t answer the question, that person is equivocating.
What is a proposition philosophy?
In philosophy, “meaning” is understood to be a non-linguistic entity which is shared by all sentences with the same meaning. Equivalently, a proposition is the non-linguistic bearer of truth or falsity which makes any sentence that expresses it either true or false.
Why do we equivocate?
To equivocate is to say something in a way that can be understood multiple ways, especially so that people will think you mean one thing when you really mean another. It’s choosing and arranging your words carefully so that you’re not quite lying but so that your listener winds up deceived or misled.
What is the root of equivocate?
A key part of equivocate is the root vocate, which comes from the Latin vocare or “voice.” When you give your voice to two opposing views in order to mislead or keep your options open, you’re equivocating. Think of the expression, to talk out of both sides of your mouth.
What is an example of equivocation?
In logic, equivocation (‘calling two different things by the same name’) is an informal fallacy resulting from the use of a particular word/expression in multiple senses throughout an argument leading to a false conclusion. Abbott and Costello’s “Who’s on first?” routine is a well known example of equivocation.
What is the fallacy of equivocation?
Equivocation Fallacy. Explanation. The fallacy of equivocation is committed when a term is used in two or more different senses within a single argument. For an argument to work, words must have the same meaning each time they appear in its premises or conclusion.
What are some examples of the equivocation fallacy?
“It is right to be sad instead of joyous because it’s everyone’s right to feel sad if they wish to.”
What is moral equivocation?
Moral equivalence is a form of equivocation and a fallacy of relevance often used in political debates. It seeks to draw comparisons between different, often unrelated things, to make a point that one is just as bad as the other or just as good as the other.