circular
Meaning: Having the shape of a circle, or (of an argument or reasoning) using the conclusion as a premise, thereby proving nothing.
Beyond its literal geometric meaning, circular is most commonly used in academic and critical contexts to describe flawed reasoning where the argument assumes the very thing it is trying to prove. 'Circular reasoning' and 'circular argument' are the key collocations. The word is also used as a noun in British English to mean a letter or leaflet distributed widely, as in 'a circular from the council.'
Examples
- The argument was entirely circular: he claimed the policy was good because it produced good outcomes, without defining what 'good' meant. 该论证完全是循环的:他声称该政策是好的,因为它产生了好的结果,却没有定义'好'是什么意思。El argumento era completamente circular: afirmaba que la política era buena porque producía buenos resultados, sin definir qué significaba «bueno».その議論は完全に循環的でした。「良い」とは何かを定義せずに、その政策は良い結果を生むから良いのだと主張していたのです。그 논증은 완전히 순환적이었습니다. '좋다'의 의미를 정의하지 않으면서 그 정책이 좋은 결과를 낳으니 좋은 정책이라고 주장했기 때문입니다.
- The council issued a circular advising residents about changes to bin collection schedules. 市政府发出通告,通知居民垃圾回收时间表的变更。El ayuntamiento emitió una circular informando a los vecinos sobre cambios en el calendario de recogida de basuras.市議会は、ゴミ収集スケジュールの変更について住民に通知する回覧を発行しました。시의회는 쓰레기 수거 일정 변경에 관한 회보를 주민들에게 발송했습니다.
- Critics pointed out the circular logic in assuming that popular opinions must be correct simply because they are popular. 批评者指出了一种循环逻辑谬误:仅因为某些观点是大众的便认为其必然正确。Los críticos señalaron la lógica circular de suponer que las opiniones populares deben ser correctas simplemente por ser populares.批評家たちは、人気のある意見は人気があるという理由だけで正しいに違いないという循環論法を指摘しました。비평가들은 인기 있는 의견이 인기가 있다는 이유만으로 반드시 옳다고 가정하는 순환 논법을 지적했습니다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: academic, professional, general
Tone: neutral
Origin & History
From Latin circularis, from circulus (small ring, circle), a diminutive of circus (ring). The logical sense of 'circular reasoning' has been recognised since at least the 16th century.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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