The Fallacy of division reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Fallacy of division

A fallacy of division occurs when someone reasons logically that something that is true of a thing must also be true of its constituents. The apple may be red, but it to assume that therefore its constituents are red reflects the fallacy of division. One might also reason that, because the apple is not poisonous none of its constituents are. Again one would be committing the fallacy of division. Apple pips contain a form of cyanide.

The opposite of this fallacy is called fallacy of composition which arises when one claims the whole is true because its component is true.

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