History Main / CircularReasoning

* In the late 20th century, the then (Tory) government of the UK refused to legalise cannabis on the grounds that "it leads to hard drugs". This was an indirect example of this trope; all evidence is that cannabis leads to hard drugs solely and precisely ''because'' it's illegal. If the only way to vote Tory was to visit your local pusher, voting Tory would lead to hard drugs.

--> ''':Dr. Shark:''' Beccause, young man, Marijuana is ''illegal.''

* In ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', Ned explains the reason he must execute a deserter: because they know their life is forfeit if caught, they will balk at nothing and are thus the most dangerous people. If they ''weren't'' executed on sight, this might not be the case.

* The drunk in ''Literature/TheLittlePrince'' drinks. When asked why, he explains that he wants to forget. When asked what he wants to forget, he says that he wants to forget that he is ashamed. When asked about that, he explains that he is ashamed of drinking.

-->'''Moist:''' So what you are saying is that necromancy is a very bad form of magic performed only by evil wizards, and since you are not evil wizards, what you are doing cannot possibly be called necromancy?

* In the JimmyNeutron TV movie, "The League of Villains", during a KangarooCourt, T is upset that he has to be the court's bouncer instead of being on the jury with the rest of the villains. When he asks why he can't be on the jury, the villains tell him that they already voted on it. He asks why he didn't get to vote, to which the response is, "Because you're not on the jury."

* In JimmyNeutron TV movie, "The League of Villains", during a KangarooCourt, T is upset that he has to be the court's bouncer instead of being on the jury with the rest of the villains. When he asks why he can't be on the jury, the villains tell him that they already voted on it. He asks why he didn't get to vote, to which the response is, "Because you're not on the jury."

* A sketch on ''ThatMitchellAndWebbLook'' had a group of government agents justify covering up the Roswell incident in this way. They could release all the information now in order to gather support and build defences against a possible invasion, but people will be angry with the government when they learn that aliens exist, especially if there is an invasion and it turns out that the government knew about them for decades but did nothing to help gather support and build defences.

[[folder:Religion and Mythology]]

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* This fallacy is often used by fundamentalists as "proof" that the Literature/TheBible is correct and error free:
-->'''Believer:''' "The Bible is literally true because it is the inerrant word of God."
-->'''Skeptic:''' "How do you know the Bible is the inerrant word of God?"
-->'''Believer:''' "It says so in the Bible. 2 Timothy 3:16, specifically."

* The ''{{Catch-22}}'' of the novel of the same name is Circular Reasoning. The dialogue that explains it:

BeggingTheQuestion used recursively. A is true because B is true. B is true because C is true. C is true because D is true. D is true because A is true. The proof simply circles around and around, with nothing in it that it isn't being proved by itself.

!!! Also called:
* ''Circulus in demonstrando''

:: BeggingTheQuestion used recursively. A is true because B is true. B is true because C is true. C is true because D is true. D is true because A is true. The proof simply circles around and around, with nothing in it that it isn't being proved by itself.

* The drunk in ''TheLittlePrince'' drinks. When asked why, he explains that he wants to forget. When asked what he wants to forget, he says that he wants to forget that he is ashamed. When asked about that, he explains that he is ashamed of drinking.

** Even if this was true, it'd be a really weird thing to believe then suddenly finding out women in medieval paris [[BrokenAesop could vote on local affairs]].

* A '''monarchy''' is a nation ruled by a monarch; a '''monarch''' someone who rules a monarchy. What with {{Hereditary Republic}}s, [[ElectiveMonarchy Elective Monarchies]], and Presidents-For-Life, that's about the clearest definitions there are, and political scientists often admit that sometimes the only difference between a monarchy and a republic are the titles involved.

** This reasoning destroyed Alan Turing's life when his homosexuality came out. Despite having helped crack the Enigma code in WorldWar2 and save thousands of lives, along with doing brilliant work in computing, mathematics, robotics, etc. his security clearance was canceled. Undergoing chemical castration rather than go to prison, Turing became depressed and killed himself. In 2009, British Prime Minister GordonBrown finally issued an official apology.

** Conversely, this form of reasoning is used with embarassing frequency in denouncing religion altogether: Believer B in Religion A did horrible thing X in the name of Religion A, therefore Religion A causes people to commit horrible thing X.