The fallacy of equivocation occurs when a word is used with one meaning in one place in an argument and then is used with a different meaning later on in the argument, and the argument works only if the shift in meaning is undetected.

Question

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The fallacy of equivocation relies on the ambiguous use of a key term in different parts of an argument, which can mislead or confuse the listener or reader if the shift in meaning goes unnoticed.

The Fallacy of Equivocation Occurs When a Word Is Used