sophistry

noun3

1. •
   Plausible yet fallacious argumentation or reasoning.

   • And so, my head hitting have to be real, solid, and true, with no sophistry or fantasy about them. — 1605
2. •
   An argument that seems plausible, but is fallacious or misleading, especially one devised deliberately to be so.
3. •
   (historical) The actions or arguments of a sophist.

   • Such conduct is at any rate not sophistical, if Aristotle be right in describing sophistry as the art of making money. — 1844