Within Circularity
How Long Argument Chains Hide Circularity
Circular reasoning can be hard to spot when several claims form a chain that eventually loops back to the start.
On this page
- How an A B C loop works
- Why each step can seem supportive
- Diagramming the dependency chain
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Introduction
Hidden A-B-C argument loops are one of the most difficult forms of circular reasoning to detect. Instead of stating a conclusion and immediately repeating it as evidence, the argument spreads the circularity across several linked claims. A supports B, B supports C, and C eventually supports A. Because each step appears to provide a fresh reason, the overall argument can seem well supported even though it never connects to any independent evidence. The problem is not necessarily that the conclusion is false; the problem is that the chain never escapes its own assumptions. Logical analysts often describe circular reasoning as a failure to provide independent grounds for belief, and longer chains can make that failure much harder to recognise. [Wikipedia]WikipediaCircular reasoningCircular reasoning
Within the broader topic of circular reasoning and unsupported conclusions, hidden loops matter because they create an illusion of depth. The argument appears to move forward through multiple stages, yet all of its support comes from claims that ultimately depend on one another.
How an A-B-C Loop Works
A hidden loop arises when a series of claims forms a closed dependency chain. The basic pattern looks like this:
- A is true because B is true.
- B is true because C is true.
- C is true because A is true.
At first glance, each statement appears to contribute new information. The listener may focus on only one step at a time and fail to notice that the chain eventually returns to its starting point. However, when the dependencies are mapped out, the argument reveals itself as a circle rather than a line of reasoning. No claim receives support from evidence outside the loop. [Microsoft]microsoft.comWhat is a circular argument?Definitions, examples, and…November 17, 2023 — 17 Nov 2023 — A circular argument occurs when someone uses a claim to support itself. I…
Consider a simplified example:
- A news source is reliable because its reporting is accurate.
- Its reporting is accurate because experts cited by the source are trustworthy.
- The experts are trustworthy because the reliable news source chose them.
Each individual statement may sound plausible. Yet the reliability of the source and the trustworthiness of the experts end up depending on one another. The chain never reaches an independent check, such as external fact verification, professional credentials, or documented performance.
The crucial feature is closure. A genuine evidential chain eventually reaches a premise supported by observation, data, testimony, records, or some other independent basis. A hidden loop returns to where it began. [Wikipedia]WikipediaRegress argument (epistemologyRegress argument (epistemology
Why Each Step Can Seem Supportive
Hidden loops are persuasive because human reasoning often evaluates arguments locally rather than globally. People naturally ask whether one statement seems to support the next statement, not whether the entire chain forms a circle.
Several factors make the circularity harder to spot:
[Distance between premise and conclusion.]facebook.comon is used as its own premise, creating a loop that offers…
When A and C are separated by several intermediate claims, the relationship between them becomes less obvious. The listener remembers the most recent link rather than the entire structure. [Wikipedia]WikipediaCircular reasoningCircular reasoning
Changing vocabulary.
The argument may restate essentially the same idea using different language at each stage. What looks like three distinct claims may actually be one assumption expressed in different forms. This disguises the fact that the chain never introduces new evidence. [BachelorPrint]bachelorprint.comBachelor Print Circular Reasoning Fallacy ~ Definition & ExamplesBachelorPrintCircular Reasoning Fallacy ~ Definition & ExamplesFebruary 13, 2025 — 27 Dec 2023 — Circular reasoning, also known as beggin…
Accumulated plausibility.
Each link may appear reasonable on its own. As the chain grows longer, people often mistake the number of steps for the amount of evidence. Multiple assertions can create an impression of thoroughness even when they all depend on the same unsupported assumption. [Logically Fallacious]logicallyfallacious.comLogically FallaciousHow to Recognize Circular Reasoning in ArgumentsApril 18, 2026 — 18 Apr 2026 — Circular reasoning happens when an arg…
Attention to content rather than structure.
Listeners are usually more interested in whether claims sound true than in how those claims are connected. Circularity is a structural defect, so it can remain hidden beneath convincing content. [Wikipedia]WikipediaRegress argument (epistemologyRegress argument (epistemology
A Concrete Example of the Hidden Loop
Imagine an organisation making the following case:
- Our procedures are effective because they follow best practices.
- We know they are best practices because successful organisations use them.
- Those organisations are successful because they follow procedures like ours.
The argument appears to move through several stages. Yet the success of the organisations is used to justify the procedures, while the procedures are simultaneously used to explain the success. The chain circles back to its starting point.
A stronger argument would introduce independent evidence, such as measured performance outcomes, controlled comparisons, or external evaluations. Without such evidence, the reasoning remains trapped inside its own network of assumptions.
Diagramming the Dependency Chain
One of the most effective ways to expose hidden circularity is to draw the argument as a dependency map.
A genuine evidential structure often resembles a tree:
- Evidence D supports C.
- C supports B.
- B supports A.
The chain ultimately rests on evidence that does not depend on A.
A hidden loop instead resembles a circle:
- A depends on B.
- B depends on C.
- C depends on A.
Once diagrammed, the problem becomes obvious. Every claim requires another claim in the same loop for support. Remove any one claim and the entire structure loses its justification. [Microsoft]microsoft.comWhat is a circular argument?Definitions, examples, and…November 17, 2023 — 17 Nov 2023 — A circular argument occurs when someone uses a claim to support itself. I…
When analysing a complex argument, useful questions include:
- What supports this claim?
- What supports that supporting claim?
- Does the chain eventually reach independent evidence?
- Does any later step rely on the original conclusion?
If tracing the chain eventually leads back to the starting point, the argument contains hidden circularity.
Why Hidden Loops Matter
Hidden A-B-C loops are more than a technical flaw in logic. They can create a false impression that a conclusion has been carefully established when it has merely been recycled through several intermediate claims. Because the circularity is distributed across the chain rather than stated directly, readers and listeners may overlook the absence of independent support. [Wikipedia]WikipediaRegress argument (epistemologyRegress argument (epistemology
The key test is not how many links appear in the argument but whether any link ultimately connects to evidence outside the loop. A chain that returns to its own starting point may look sophisticated, but it has not actually advanced the case. The reasoning has travelled in a circle rather than arrived at a justified conclusion. [Encyclopedia Britannica]britannica.comcircular argumentEncyclopedia BritannicaCircular argument | Definition, History, Examples, & Facts13 May 2026 — A circular argument's premise explicitly o…
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Endnotes
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: Circular reasoning
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circular_reasoning -
Source: microsoft.com
Title: What is a circular argument?
Link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-life-hacks/writing/what-is-a-circular-argumentSource snippet
Definitions, examples, and...November 17, 2023 — 17 Nov 2023 — A circular argument occurs when someone uses a claim to support itself. I...
Published: November 17, 2023
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: Regress argument (epistemology)
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regress_argument_%28epistemology%29 -
Source: britannica.com
Title: circular argument
Link: https://www.britannica.com/topic/circular-argumentSource snippet
Encyclopedia BritannicaCircular argument | Definition, History, Examples, & Facts13 May 2026 — A circular argument's premise explicitly o...
Published: May 2026
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Source: bachelorprint.com
Title: Bachelor Print Circular Reasoning Fallacy ~ Definition & Examples
Link: https://www.bachelorprint.com/fallacies/circular-reasoning-fallacy/Source snippet
BachelorPrintCircular Reasoning Fallacy ~ Definition & ExamplesFebruary 13, 2025 — 27 Dec 2023 — Circular reasoning, also known as beggin...
Published: February 13, 2025
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Source: logicallyfallacious.com
Link: https://www.logicallyfallacious.com/blog/how-to-recognize-circular-reasoning-in-argumentsSource snippet
Logically FallaciousHow to Recognize Circular Reasoning in ArgumentsApril 18, 2026 — 18 Apr 2026 — Circular reasoning happens when an arg...
Published: April 18, 2026
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Source: logicallyfallacious.com
Link: https://www.logicallyfallacious.com/logicalfallacies/Circular-ReasoningSource snippet
Circular ReasoningDescription: A type of reasoning in which the proposition is supported by the premises, which is supported by the propo...
Additional References
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Source: scribd.com
Link: https://www.scribd.com/presentation/893520689/Circular-Reasoning-FallacySource snippet
Understanding Circular Reasoning Fallacy | PDF | ArgumentCircular reasoning is a logical fallacy where an argument's conclusion is assume...
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Source: philosophy.stackexchange.com
Title: Namely, ‘I am doing what I please here, therefore I have ownership here.’”
Link: https://philosophy.stackexchange.com/questions/55574/is-circular-reasoning-always-a-fallacySource snippet
circular reasoning always a fallacy?17 Sept 2018 — Consider the following dialogue: A: "I accept only one notion of land property...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/799987083411428/posts/4461837207226379/Source snippet
on is used as its own premise, creating a loop that offers...
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Source: paraphrasetool.com
Title: In other words, it assumes what it is
Link: https://paraphrasetool.com/usage/circular-reasoning-fallacySource snippet
Understanding Circular Reasoning Fallacy: A Deep Dive...13 Apr 2024 — Circular reasoning is a logical fallacy where the conclusion of an...
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Source: reddit.com
Title: And I know that this is an informal
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/askphilosophy/comments/1l38tu5/i_cant_quite_understand_the_fallacy_of_circular/Source snippet
I can't quite understand the fallacy of circular reasoning.I comprehend the definition of it: that such fallacy is made when one premisse...
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Source: scribbr.com
Title: circular reasoning fallacy
Link: https://www.scribbr.com/fallacies/circular-reasoning-fallacy/Source snippet
Definition & Examples1 May 2023 — The circular reasoning fallacy is an argument that assumes the very thing it is trying to prove is true...
Published: May 2023
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Source: grammarly.com
Title: circular argument fallacy
Link: https://www.grammarly.com/blog/rhetorical-devices/circular-argument-fallacy/Source snippet
What Is a Circular Argument?3 Nov 2022 — A circular argument, also known as circular reasoning, is an incorrect argument that tries to pr...
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Source: youtube.com
Title: Circular Reasoning Explained with “The Simpsons” | [Logical Fallacies]({{ ‘logical-fallacies/’ | relative_url }}) in TV Shows
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pN5uHO6RdeISource snippet
Circular Reasoning isn't a Logical Fallacy (and Here's Why that Matters)...
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Source: youtube.com
Title: Critical Thinking: The Fallacy of Circular Argument
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P79dctCEZUSource snippet
Circular Reasoning Explained with "The Simpsons" | Logical Fallacies in TV Shows...
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Source: youtube.com
Title: Fallacies: Begging the Question (narrow sense)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSWCi_-qIMESource snippet
Critical Thinking: The Fallacy of Circular Argument...
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