Fallacy of composition

The fallacy of composition is a logical fallacy that arises when the inference of an argument depends on the erroneous transference of an attribute of the parts of something to the whole. This is the opposite of the fallacy of division.

Examples

 * "Richard likes sardines. He also likes toffee pudding. Therefore, it is quite sure that he would like a toffee pudding topped with sardines."


 * The frequent accusation that design theorists reduce life to mechanism, commits a fallacy of composition, arguing incorrectly that what is true of the parts must be true of the whole since just the fact the cells have machine-like aspects does not imply that they are machines.

Formal example
Formally speaking this fallacy has the following structure:


 * p is part of w
 * p has property t
 * therefore, w has property t