Vicious Circle

[Contrast with the VirtuousCircle]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. http://www.bartleby.com/61/88/V0088800.html NOUN:

1. A situation in which the apparent solution of one problem in a chain of circumstances creates a new problem and increases the difficulty of solving the original problem. Also called vicious cycle.
2. A condition in which a disorder or disease gives rise to another that subsequently affects the first.
3. Logic A fallacy in reasoning in which the premise is used to prove the conclusion, and the conclusion used to prove the premise.

ETYMOLOGY:

Translation of New Latin circulus vitisus, circular argument : Medieval Latin circulus, circular argument + Latin vitisus, flawed, faulty.

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e.g., "We users don't use that feature, because it's inefficient." "We programmers don't waste time optimizing that feature, because no one uses it."

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