Cognitive Scaffold

Preparing your thinking workspace

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MENTAL MODEL · M0231

Non Sequitur

Non Sequitur
StructureHigh supportLogic
Included
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Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-28

CORE DEFINITION

Latin for "it does not follow." A logical fallacy in which the conclusion cannot be derived from the premises, or where the evidence and the claim lack any necessary connection. Scaffold role: a foundation of critical thinking. When examining an argument, check whether the conclusion is genuinely supported by the premises. For example, "He is a Nobel laureate, so his political views must be correct" is a non sequitur.

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

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- Critical thinking foundation: when reviewing an argument, check whether the conclusion really follows from the premises. - Worked example: "He won a Nobel Prize, so his political views must be right" is a non sequitur. - Ask for the missing link: demand the reasoning that connects the stated evidence to the conclusion.

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A valid argument requires that the conclusion be entailed by the premises. When the conclusion is disconnected from the premises (irrelevant, jumping, or equivocating), it is a 'non sequitur'. Common forms include appeal to authority (invalid outside the authority's domain), appeal to emotion, false cause, etc. To identify it, simply ask: 'Even if all premises are true, must the conclusion be true?' If not, it is a non sequitur.

MINIMUM ACTION

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Source support: Explicit

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    en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non_sequiturZH · Explicit
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