regarding something as true based on its name

[Sarp84224]

If someone says that North Korea is a democratic republic because the official name is Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Similarly, the Nazis were socialists because the official name of the Nazi Party was the National Socialist German Workers’ Party.

I know that both are wrong, but what is the fallacy called when you regard something to be the case just because of a word? Is there a fallacy for it?

 

[PaulQ]

Those examples are not fallacies; they are what is known as "stipulative definitions".

Kim Jong-Un will tell you that democracy is the government by the people and that is what Juche is all about. Likewise, Hitler would have told you that National Socialism is the German form of government in the interests, and for the benefit, of the people.

In essence, stipulative definitions are neutral as this Wikipedia article shows: Stipulative definition - Wikipedia

 

[Sarp84224]

Those examples are not fallacies; they are what is known as "stipulative definitions".

Kim Jong-Un will tell you that democracy is the government by the people and that is what Juche is all about. Likewise, Hitler would have told you that National Socialism is the German form of government in the interests, and for the benefit, of the people.

In essence, stipulative definitions are neutral as this Wikipedia article shows: Stipulative definition - Wikipedia

I thought there was a fallacy if someone were to say, “It’s in the name so it must be true!”

 

[Packard]

I was unaware of “stiipulative definitions” (as is my spell checker). I probably would have used some form of the word “paradox”.

The paradoxically named Democratic People‘s Republic of Korea.

paradoxically adverb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com

paradoxically​

adverb

/ˌpærəˈdɒksɪkli/

/ˌpærəˈdɑːksɪkli/

1. in a way that seems strange, impossible or unlikely because it has two opposite features or contains two opposite ideas

 

[PaulQ]

I thought there was a fallacy if someone were to say, “It’s in the name so it must be true!”

A fallacy is a mistake in logic, not a subjective opinion.

If I say "This apple is delicious", and you say, "That apple is horrible!" There is no fallacy. To me, a delicious apple is sweet and soft; for you, it must be hard and sour.

In the cases of North Korea and Hitler's Germany, there will be those who sincerely believe that they are/were respectively "democratic" and "socialist". There are others who believe that neither is so. It is an opinion.

If I argue that the apple must be delicious because the name of that type apple is "Golden Delicious" Then the fallacy is a non-sequitur - the conclusion does not follow the evidence. (If it did then only a grandmother called "Smith" could grow "Granny Smith" apples and only apples that played music could be "Jazz" apples.)

 

[Keith Bradford]

I thought there was a fallacy if someone were to say, “It’s in the name so it must be true!”

There probably is. I don't know its name but you'll surely find it on Logical Fallacies: The Fallacy Files.

 

[Sarp84224]

A fallacy is a mistake in logic, not a subjective opinion.

In the cases of North Korea and Hitler's Germany, there will be those who sincerely believe that they are/were respectively "democratic" and "socialist". There are others who believe that neither is so. It is an opinion.

But, opinions are irrelevant when all one has to do is look at the facts i.e. the definitions of the words and then one will see that neither of the claims is true.

The mistake in the logic is assuming that because the word is included in the title or name of something then it must be true, when in fact it is not.

 

[pachanga7]

I can’t think of the type of fallacy offhand but we might say it’s a form of doublespeak.

 

[MattiasNYC]

But, opinions are irrelevant when all one has to do is look at the facts i.e. the definitions of the words and then one will see that neither of the claims is true.

The mistake in the logic is assuming that because the word is included in the title or name of something then it must be true, when in fact it is not.

I completely agree.

Interesting thread and question. Wish I knew the term for this.

There probably is. I don't know its name but you'll surely find it on Logical Fallacies: The Fallacy Files.

I looked and couldn't find anything that fit.

 

[Packard]

Or use “sounding” to call in question the name.

The democratic sounding government entitled “The Democratic People's Republic of Korea”.

Or:

The suggestively misleading titled government, “The Democratic People's Republic of Korea”.