Refuting

Cogito ergo sum Logic and rhetoric

Key articles

Logical fallacy Syllogism Argument

General logic

Principle of explosion Scope fallacy Causality Friend argument Logical razor Preaching to the choir

Bad logic

Argumentum ad hominem One single proof Red-baiting Shill gambit Confounding factor Nirvana fallacy v - t - e

Refuting means to disprove or debunk an assertion, by presentation of facts and/or logical analysis.

One of our delightful IP visitors, however, thinks this:

[Refuting:] To disagree, or assert the opposite.

The original meaning was to DISPROVE something, but no one uses that anymoer

A modern example is "The Prime Minister refuted the suggestion that he was a fool, by saying that he wasn't." (sic)

Probably because they disagree with something we said. Refutation of pseudoscience and illogic is an essential part of RationalWiki's mission.

See also[edit]

• Backfire effect