Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

ignoratio-elenchi

noun

ˌiɡnəˌrāshəˌō iˈlenkē

Definition

A logical fallacy that occurs when an argument fails to address the issue at hand and instead addresses an unrelated or irrelevant topic.

Examples

In the debate, the speaker used an ignoratio-elenchi by talking about a different issue altogether, avoiding the main argument.
Instead of answering the question about climate change, the politician delved into economic statistics, committing ignoratio-elenchi.

Meaning

This term comes from Latin, meaning ‘ignorance of refutation.’ It denotes a situation in reasoning where one ignores the actual question or argument being posed, leading to a misleading conclusion.