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Fallacy of composition

Assuming that what is true of each part must be true of the whole.

Published 04 August 2026Updated 04 August 2026

The fallacy of composition transfers a property from members or components to the group or system without justification. Some properties aggregate, but others change through interaction, scale, or organization.

Sources

Fallacies (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy / 2024 / Website

Canonical philosophical treatment of fallacy types.