1. A problem that appears to be genuine or significant but is actually false, contrived, or not worth solving; a pseudo-problem created by misunderstanding, misframing, or confusion of terms
The debate over whether a tree falling in an empty forest makes a sound is often considered a spurious problem because it hinges on the definition of 'sound'.
O debate sobre se uma árvore caindo em uma floresta vazia faz som é frequentemente considerado um problema espúrio porque depende da definição de 'som'.
2. In philosophy and logic, a question or issue that dissolves when the language or concepts involved are clarified
Wittgenstein argued that many philosophical problems are spurious problems that arise from linguistic confusion.
Wittgenstein argumentou que muitos problemas filosóficos são problemas espúrios que surgem de confusão linguística.