noun
- a form of argument that proves a proposition by showing that its denial leads to an absurdity or contradiction; proof by contradiction.
Usage: formal; logic and philosophy; also called reductio ad absurdum
Examples
- The mathematician used apagoge to demonstrate that the square root of two is irrational.
- In formal logic, apagoge is a powerful technique for establishing truth by eliminating false alternatives.
- The philosopher's apagoge showed that denying the principle led to logical contradiction.
- By apagoge, we can prove that no largest prime number exists.
- Ancient Greek mathematicians frequently employed apagoge in their geometric proofs.