Question

What is a non sequitur?

a comparison of two things that are not alike in the way the speaker says
a weak connection made to predict something extreme
the act of using an argument’s conclusion as proof of that argument
a statement that is unrelated to the claim

Answer 1

A non sequitur is a logical fallacy in which a conclusion does not follow logically from the preceding argument or statements. It represents a failure to establish a logical connection between the claim made and the evidence provided.

Step-by-step explanation:

A non sequitur is an argumentative fallacy where a statement or conclusion does not logically follow from the previous statement or argument. The term non sequitur literally means 'it does not follow' in Latin, which aptly describes the fallacy's nature. When someone commits a non sequitur, they may make a conclusion based on irrelevant or unrelated premises, thereby failing to establish a causal relation. This type of fallacy is an example of invalidity and can often be seen when an argument is based on the mistaken belief that correlation implies causation, ignoring the difference between the two. Therefore, when someone suggests that because two events occur together (correlation), one must cause the other (causation), they might be committing the fallacy of false cause, which is a specific type of non sequitur.