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Fallacy Library Sunk Cost Fallacy
Informal fallacy Commonly Used Fallacy

Sunk Cost Fallacy

Keeps defending or continuing something mainly because time, money, or effort has already been spent on it.

Definition

Keeps defending or continuing something mainly because time, money, or effort has already been spent on it.

Example
We have already spent six months on this failing app, so we have to keep funding it.
Extended explanation

How to think about it:

Keeps defending or continuing something mainly because time, money, or effort has already been spent on it. In practice, the key question is whether the conclusion is supported by evidence and logic, or whether it depends on this reasoning shortcut instead.

Related entries

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