Dr. Thud, why does Jenny act so strangely?
Easy, because she has a mental illness.
And, Dr. Thud, how do you know Jenny has a mental illness?
Because she acts so strangely.
This is an example of
A) The error of reification
B) Radical behaviorism
C) Parsimony
D) Pragmatism
E) Selectionism

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Reification is the cognitive error of treating an abstract concept as if it were a real, concrete thing. In this case, the abstract concept of "mental illness" is being treated as a concrete, definitive explanation for Jenny's behavior without providing any evidence or specific diagnosis. The dialogue presents a circular argument: Jenny acts strangely because she has a mental illness, and she is said to have a mental illness because she acts strangely. This does not provide a real explanation or understanding of Jenny's behavior, but rather labels it without further investigation or substantiation.

Dr. Thud, Why Does Jenny Act So Strangely