Definition of ignoratio elenchi Ignoratio elenchi
ig•no•ra•ti•o e•len•chi
We found 2 definitions of ignoratio elenchi from 2 different sources.
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What does ignoratio elenchi mean?
WordNet
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| ignoratio elenchi - the logical fallacy of supposing that an argument proving an irrelevant point has proved the point at issue |
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Wikipedia 
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Ignoratio elenchi (also known as irrelevant conclusion or irrelevant thesis) is the informal fallacy of presenting an argument that may in itself be valid, but does not address the issue in question. "Ignoratio elenchi" can be roughly translated by "ignorance of refutation", that is, ignorance of what a refutation is; "elenchi" is from the Greek Socratic method, meaning an argument of disproof or refutation. (Some sources give "by ignorance of the issues" or even "by ignoring the issues" as a translation of ignoratio elenchi.)
Aristotle believed that an ignoratio elenchi is a mistake made by a questioner while attempting to falsify a respondent's argument. He called it an ignorance of what makes for a refutation. For Aristotle, ignoratio elenchi amounts to "ignorance of logic". In fact, Aristotle goes so far as to say that all logical fallacies can be reduced to what he calls ignoratio elenchi.
Modern use limits this term much more narrowly to the kind of mistake described in the first paragraph above.
Red herring.
Similar to ignoratio elenchi, a "red herring" is an argument, given in reply, that does not address the original issue. Critically, a red herring is a "deliberate" attempt to change the subject or divert the argument. This is known formally in the English vocabulary as digression which is a neutrally connotated "Red herring".
Examples.
Maher: It's arbitrary, isn't it? If you had been born in Pakistan, you wouldn't be believing in Jesus Christ. You would have been t
