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Demagoguery, in the sense of the word itself, δῆμος + ἄγω, “I lead the people” is applied sophistry, composting the brain with a subversive political goal, for which today they sign the payrolls of the “non-systemic opposition”.
Sophistry is a distortion of the logical meaning, when outwardly the judgment looks reasonable, but when examined in depth, there are logical inconsistencies.
Demagoguery also distorts logic, but this is a broader concept, in which sophistry is only one of the methods. So, for example, demagogy has the following sides::
– Shift of focus on the competence of the oponent (“You studied for C's/You don't have enough education…to talk about this topic”);
– Shifting the focus on the oponent's personality (“You are behaving inadequately/intemperately/insecurely, which means that you cannot reason sensibly in this dispute”)
– “Bringing to Hitler” – when they try to draw an analogy between the oponent's judgments and the statements of a certain unambiguously negative person
– Twisting the logic and meaning of the oponent's theses, adding other statements to him.
– Attempts to irritate the oponent (interrupting, taunting, veiled insults).
In general, an experienced demagogue may not prove his point at all, but try to make the oponent a fool, and his opinion is absurd. Demagoguery requires at least some opponent or opposing point of view, even mentioned in passing.
And sophistry is aimed only at reasoning and can be applied even without the presence of oponents. You can write an equation in which the output is 2+2 = 5, while not criticizing or affecting others in any way.
A common feature is to impose your opinion by any truths, untruths, or half-truths.