Glossary
Circular Reference
A circular reference occurs when either a term is defined relative to itself or when a notion uses another notion to describe itself but the other notiion uses the first notion to describe itself.
An Example:
The "Bank" article on Wikipedia uses this sentence to define a bank: "A bank is a business that provides banking services for profit."
The term banking is used in a sentence which defines bank, which does not clarify the definition to bank, instead it creates a reference to bank, therefore confusing the issue, because now banking must be defined in order to define bank.
Look out for these logical traps in your own writing and in others writing because it does lend clarity to a thought and may in fact be used to hide logical errors.
1 Comment so far
[...] First, lets define a bank. Most us know or think we know what a bank is. According to Wikepedia "A bank is a business that provides banking services for profit." Thanks for the circular definition, Wikipedia. [...]