Topic: Abstraction
Treating an abstract concept as if it were something concrete, have human-like properties, or is identical to what it merely represents.
| Fallacy | Trigger – look for … |
|---|---|
| Anthropomorphisation | Specifically human traits (emotion, intention, character) attributed to a non-human or abstract entity. |
| Pathetic fallacy | Human emotions or moral attitudes attributed to inanimate objects, nature, or abstract systems (“the market fears”, “nature abhors”, “the economy punishes”) as if factual (specialized form of Anthropomorphisation). |
| Objectification | A person – not a concept – is treated as a thing, tool, or mere function ('resources', dehumanizing language), or assumed in reasoning to behave like predictable, passive objects. |
| Ontological fallacy | Existence inferred merely from a word for it, its definition, or its conceivability. |
| Semiotic fallacy | A symbol, sign, model or metric is conflated with the thing it stands for. |
| Procrustean fallacy | Reality (data, processes, objects) is actively manipulated or forced to fit a pre-existing model, framework, or theory – rather than adapting the model to reality. |
| Hypostatization | An abstract or collective noun (the market, society, history) is treated as an agent with intentions, actions, or responsibility, beyond conventional shorthand (“the company announced” → OK; “the market punished investors” → flag). |
#END.