On the problem of distinguishing the terms “logical fallacy” and “cognitive bias” in the context of critical thinking

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31874/2309-1606-2025-31-2-11

Keywords:

critical thinking, logic, logical fallacies, formal fallacies, informal fallacies, cognitive biases, cognitive distortions, heuristics

Abstract

Relevance. The article is devoted to the clarification of terminology and to a comparative analysis of logical fallacies and cognitive biases in the context of critical thinking, which is intended to compensate for the limitations of human rationality in decision-making. The relevance of the study is determined by the need to refine and systematize the terminology used within the framework of critical thinking, in particular the concepts of logical fallacies, cognitive biases, and cognitive distortions. Methods. The methodological framework of the study is based on logical methods of analyzing the content and structure of concepts, as well as a comparative approach to examining the terms under consideration. Novelty. A distinction is drawn between cognitive biases as the result of heuris­tic processing in situations of uncertainty and cognitive distortions, which have an affective nature and manifest themselves as tendencies to negatively interpret experience. It is established that logical fallacies and cognitive biases are similar in their “appearance of correctness” and in their status as deviations from norma­tive standards of rationality; however, they differ in the level of manifestation, the degree of linguistic expression, and the role of intention (the possible intentional use of logical fallacies versus the predominantly unconscious nature of cognitive biases). The article also substantiates the expediency of using the general con­cept of cognitive errors as a generic category for constructing a classification of heuristics, cognitive biases, and cognitive distortions, and outlines prospects for further research aimed at comparing specific types of logical and cognitive errors. Conclusion. The article presents a comparative analysis of logical fallacies and cognitive biases within the context of critical thinking. The following tasks are ac­complished: the content of formal and informal logical fallacies is examined; the term cognitive biases is clarified and the reasons for its terminological ambiguity are outlined; the common and distinctive features of logical fallacies and cognitive biases are identified.

Author Biography

Ivan Savchuk, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine

PhD Student of the Department of Logic of the Faculty of Philosophy

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Published

2026-04-19

How to Cite

Savchuk, I. (2026). On the problem of distinguishing the terms “logical fallacy” and “cognitive bias” in the context of critical thinking. Filosofiya Osvity. Philosophy of Education, 31(2), 158–173. https://doi.org/10.31874/2309-1606-2025-31-2-11

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Vol. 31 No. 2 (2025)

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