We've all probably experienced this over the years. Circular reasoning is when someone talks in circles without proving their point. They use a string of things to prove each other, then return to where they started. For example, “X” is true because “Y” is true, and “Y” is true because “X” is true. Whether or not they intend to do it, they are simply using smoke and mirrors to trick you into accepting their position. Another type of circular reasoning occurs when someone claims a statement is true and then attempts to prove it by restating the original claim again, but paraphrasing it in a different way. Both can sound very convincing unless you pay attention to the details. Circular reasoning relies on the other person accepting a lot of assumptions (or warrants).