Ipse dixit facts for kids
Ipse dixit is a Latin phrase that means "He, himself, said it." It's used when someone says something is true just because they said it, without offering any real proof. Think of it as saying, "It's true because I said so!"
In logic, this idea is called the bare assertion fallacy. It's a mistake in thinking where someone tries to make you believe something is true only because they claim it is. They don't give any facts or reasons to back up their statement.
Here's how it often works:
- Someone says something is true.
- They also say they aren't lying.
- Then, they expect you to believe it's true, just because they said it.
This way of thinking stops any discussion. It's like saying, "That's just the way it is, and there's nothing to talk about."
A famous example comes from Alice in Wonderland. Humpty Dumpty tells Alice:
"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, "it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less."
"The question is," said Humpty Dumpty, "which is to be master
"The question is," said Alice, "whether you can make words mean so many different things."that's all."
Humpty Dumpty believes his words are true simply because he says them. This shows how ipse dixit tries to end any debate. It's a way to force an idea without any proof.
What is Ipse Dixit?
Ipse dixit describes a statement that someone expects you to accept as true without question. It's a type of dogmatic (very strict) claim. The only reason given for believing it is that a certain person said it.
This idea suggests that a statement is true because an "expert" or important person said it. Sometimes, an opinion might seem important just because of who said it, even if they don't provide evidence.
History of Ipse Dixit
The Roman writer Cicero (who lived from 106 to 43 BC) first used the term ipse dixit. He wrote about it in his book On the Nature of the Gods. Cicero used it to describe a mistake in thinking. He noticed that students of the ancient Greek thinker Pythagoras would often say, "He, himself, said it" to end an argument. They meant Pythagoras had said it, so it must be true.
Later, a person named Jeremy Bentham changed the term to ipse-dixitism. He used this new word to talk about political arguments where people just made claims without proof.
The idea of ipse dixit is even mentioned in American law. For example, in a court case from 1997, the US Supreme Court talked about "opinion evidence" that was only connected to facts because an expert simply said it was. This means the expert didn't show how their opinion was truly based on evidence.
Related topics
See also
In Spanish: Ipse dixit para niños
