English Dictionary

masked man fallacy

noun

A fallacy of inferring that since one knows (or does not know) something by one description, one must know (or not know) it by another, as in "I know who my father is. I do not know who the masked man is. Therefore, my father is not the masked man."

The masked man fallacy is a logical fallacy that occurs when someone assumes that a person wearing a mask is hiding their true identity.

意味（1）

A fallacy of inferring that since one knows (or does not know) something by one description, one must know (or not know) it by another, as in "I know who my father is. I do not know who the masked man is. Therefore, my father is not the masked man."

That is to say, one cannot infer from one's subjective state of certainty and uncertainty about two propositions, to the objective connection or lack of connection between them; but it is just such an inference that Descartes seems to be making about himself and his body, and which gives his argument its embarrassing resemblance to the masked man fallacy.