Learn / Glossary

Fallacy of division

Assuming that what is true of a whole must be true of every part.

Published 04 August 2026Updated 04 August 2026

The fallacy of division transfers a group-level or system-level property to each member or component. A successful organization, for example, need not contain only successful individuals; the level at which a property holds matters.

Sources

Fallacies (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy / 2024 / Website

Canonical philosophical treatment of fallacy types.