History Main / CircularReasoning

* In ''LightNovel/TheCreationAlchemistEnjoysFreedom'', we have the case of Duke Bragas Regus. He lives in the Dolgaria Empire that fiercely embodies KlingonScientistsGetNoRespect. As such, he sees non-combat ''god-given'' professions like [Alchemy] as inherently incompetent and useless. His son Thor is an alchemist, as learned through a magical appraisal. This prompts Duke Regus to do everything possible to make Thor appear useless, squashing the boy's chances of being useful and driving his accomplishments into obscurity from everyone, especially himself.

--> '''Bill''': The truth is, Wyld Stallyns will never be a super band until we have Eddie Van Halen on guitar.
--> '''Ted''': Yes, Bill. But, I do not believe we will get Eddie Van Halen until we have a triumphant video.
--> '''Bill''': Ted, it's pointless to have a triumphant video before we even have decent instruments.
--> '''Ted''': Well, how can we have decent instruments when we don't really even know how to play?
--> '''Bill''': That is why we ''need'' Eddie Van Halen!
--> '''Ted''': And ''that'' is why we need a triumphant video.
--> '''[[IdiotHero Bill and Ted]]''': EXCELLENT! (''air guitar solo'')

--> '''Yossarian:''' Is Orr crazy?
--> '''Dr. 'Doc' Daneeka:''' ''Of course'' he is. He has to be crazy to keep flying after all the close calls he's had.
--> '''Yossarian:''' Why can't you ground him?
--> '''Doc Daneeka:''' I can, but first he has to ask me.
--> '''Yossarian:''' That's all he's gotta do to be grounded?
--> '''Doc Daneeka:''' That's all.
--> '''Yossarian:''' Then you can ground him?
--> '''Doc Daneeka:''' No. Then I cannot ground him.
--> '''Yossarian:''' Aah!
--> '''Doc Daneeka:''' There's a CATCH!
--> '''Yossarian:''' A catch?
--> '''Doc Daneeka:''' Sure. Catch-22. Anyone who wants to get out of combat isn't really crazy, so I can't ground him.
--> '''Yossarian:''' Okay, let me see if I've got this straight. In order to be grounded, I've got to be crazy. And I must be crazy to keep flying. But if I ask to be grounded, that means I'm not crazy anymore, and I have to keep flying.\\

* ''Literature/TheSchoolForGoodMothers'': The mothers are practicing how to talk to their children using [[RidiculouslyHumanRobots robotic dolls]] as proxies. An instructor tells Beth that her voice should be "as light and lovely as a cloud". When Beth asks how does a cloud sound, Ms. Russo says it sounds like a mother. This does not make sense to Beth, but Ms. Russo tells her that mothering is about a feeling, not about sense.

* ''Literature/TheSchoolForGoodMothers'': The mothers are practicing how to talk to their children using robotic dolls dolls as proxies. One of the instructors tells Beth that her voice should be "as light and lovely as a cloud". When Beth asks how does a cloud sound, Ms. Russo says it sounds like a mother. This does not make sense to Beth, but Ms. Russo tells her that mothering is about a feeling, not about sense.

--> '''Yossarian:''' Okay, let me see if I've got this straight. In order to be grounded, I've got to be crazy. And I must be crazy to keep flying. But if I ask to be grounded, that means I'm not crazy anymore, and I have to keep flying.
--> '''Doc Daneeka:''' You got it, that's Catch-22.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}: In "Arthur's Big Hit" when Sue Ellen spots Binky hiding from Arthur in the bushes, she asks what he's doing there. Binky answers that he's avoiding Arthur so he doesn't have to hit him. Sue Ellen then asks why Binky wants to hit Arthur, to which Binky replies that he ''doesn't'', which is why he's avoiding him. Since Binky never explains to her that his friends have threatened to kick him out of the club if he doesn't hit Arthur the next time he sees him, Sue Ellen is left confused by what appears to be this trope.

The simplest form of this is a tautology. See also ShapedLikeItself and FamousForBeingFamous. A similar concept is a logic loop, a type of LogicBomb where a series of thoughts leads to itself.

* A fundamental part of any conspiracy is that [[AbsenceOfEvidence the evidence supporting the theory doesn't exist]] because the ones responsible are suppressing the evidence. The lack of evidence proves their guilt, because if they weren't guilty, they wouldn't have any reason to hide the evidence. Also, any evidence that proves the conspiracy theory ''isn't'' true is ''actually'' proof that the conspiracy goes ''even deeper than previously thought''.

* A recurring argument from those against non cis-heterosexual couples adopting children is that it would result in the children getting bullied at school and in other environments in which they interact with peers. The main reason children are currently getting bullied for that reason in the first place is the bullies (both children and adults) either having been taught at some point in their lives that having non cis-heterosexual parents makes children acceptable targets or not being corrected by authority figures if they come to that conclusion on their own. Such environments are partly fostered, intentionally or not, by people who think only cis-heterosexual couples should be raising children.

* According to Creator/IsaacAsimov, this was used in [[TheDungAges the Middle Ages]] as an excuse not to educate women; all intelligent people know Latin, but women don't know Latin so they must be stupid, which means that there's no point in teaching them Latin (or anything else).[[note]]Actually, more ladies were literate back then than men, to the point of MoralGuardians complaining about the then-popular romance literature, but the circularity still stands.[[/note]] This is also the fallacy of confusing knowledge with intelligence, which [[InsultFriendlyFire also]] underpins large parts of so-called "[[UsefulNotes/IQTesting intelligence tests]]".

* 'STI's (Sexually Transmitted Infections) are transferred sexually. If someone has an STI, they got it through sexual contact. So, where did the first 'STI's come from?
** Like all other viruses and bacteria, they evolved this mode of infection through random mutation. Many of them most likely started out as being transferable through blood, sputa or excreta and then picked up a genetic trait that allowed them to survive in other bodily fluids.

* The internment of Japanese prisoners in the US was justified, in part, by General John [=DeWitt=] because "The very fact that no sabotage has taken place to date is a disturbing and confirming indication [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_L._DeWitt#Internment_of_Japanese_Americans that such action will be taken."]]

* According to Creator/IsaacAsimov, this was used in [[TheDungAges the Middle Ages]] as an excuse not to educate women; all intelligent people know Latin, but women don't know Latin so they must be stupid, which means that there's no point in teaching them Latin (or anything else)[[note]]Actually, more ladies were literate back then than men, to the point of MoralGuardians complaining about the then-popular romance literature, but the circularity still stands.[[/note]]. This is also the fallacy of confusing knowledge with intelligence, which [[InsultFriendlyFire also]] underpins large parts of so-called "[[UsefulNotes/IQTesting intelligence tests]]".

* The internment of Japanese prisoners in the US was justified, in part, by General John [=DeWitt=] because "The very fact that no sabotage has taken place to date is a disturbing and confirming indication [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_L._DeWitt#Internment_of_Japanese_Americans that such action will be taken]]."

* A recurring argument from those against non cis-heterosexual couples adopting children is that it would result in the children getting bullied at school and in other environments in which they interact with peers. The main reason children are currently getting bullied for that reason in the first place is the is the bullies (both children and adults) either having been taught at some point in their lives that having non cis-heterosexual parents makes children acceptable targets or not being corrected by authority figures if they come to that conclusion on their own. Such an environment will be partly fostered, intentionally or not, by people who think only cis-heterosexual couples should be raising children.

* A recurring argument from those against non cis-heterosexual couples adopting children is that it would result in the children getting bullied at school and in other environments in which they interact with peers. The main reason children are currently getting bullied for that reason in the first place is the is the bullies (both children and adults) either having been taught at some point in their lives that having non cis-heterosexual parents makes children acceptable targets or not being corrected by authority figures if they come to that conclusion on their own. Such an environment will be partly fostered, intentionally or not, by people who think only cis-heterosexual couples should be caring for children.

* A recurring argument from those against non cis-heterosexual couples adopting children is that it would result in the children getting bullied at school. The main reason children are currently getting bullied for that reason in the first place is the is the bullies (both children and adults) either having been taught at some point in their lives that having non cis-heterosexual parents makes children acceptable targets or not being corrected by authority figures if they come to that conclusion on their own. Such an environment will be partly fostered, intentionally or not, by people who think only cis-heterosexual couples should be caring for children.

* A recurring argument from those against non cis-heterosexual couples adopting children is that it would result in the children getting bullied at school. The main reason children are currently getting bullied for that reason in the first place is the other children being taught ''by the adults in their lives'' that having non cis-heterosexual parents makes them acceptable targets. Any adults doing the same are ultimately in a similar situation.

* A recurring argument from those against non cis-heterosexual couples adopting children is that it would result in the children getting bullied at school. The main reason children are currently getting bullied for that reason in the first place is the other children being taught ''by the adults in their lives'' that having non cis-heterosexual parents makes them an acceptable target. Any adults doing the same are ultimately in a similar situation.

* A recurring argument from those against non cis-heterosexual couples adopting children is that it would result in the children getting bullied at school. The main children are currently get bullied for that reason in the first place is the other children being taught ''by the adults in their lives'' that having non cis-heterosexual parents makes them an acceptable target. Any adults doing the same are ultimately in a similar situation.

* A recurring argument from those against non cis-heterosexual couples adopting children is that it would result in the children getting bullied at school. The main reason those children would be bullied for that reason in the first place is the other children being taught ''by the adults in their lives'' that having non cis-heterosexual parents makes a child an acceptable target. Any adults doing the same would be simply such children all grown up.

* Literature/TheLittlePrince encounters a tippler on his way to Earth. When asked why he drinks, the tippler explains that [[DrowningMySorrows he wants to forget]]. When asked what he wants to forget, he says that he wants to forget his shame. When asked what he's ashamed of, he explains that he is ashamed of his drinking problem. The Prince later meets a businessman who thinks the stars belong to him, and the Prince notes that he reasons in a similar way. The value of owning stars is that they make him rich, and he wants to be rich so he can buy more stars.

* ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'': PlayedForLaughs when Sherlock is [[SherlockScan scanning]] John.
-->'''Sherlock:''' You have a limp, which your therapist believes is psychosomatic--\\
'''John:''' How do you know I have a therapist?\\
'''Sherlock:''' You have a psychosomatic limp; of ''course'' you have a therapist.