Of Course It Failed. It Was Raining!

* From “The A**HOLE’S Guide To Arguing (Or, How To Succeed In Politics)”

Special pleading is a logical fallacy where one tries to explain the failure of an argument by claiming an exception to the rule. Share on X

If you have argued that your X-1000 Super Tank is the best ever created and yet it fails even the most basic test, you could say that,

“Of course it failed. It was raining!”

Then continue to claim that it is still the greatest ever. It was just tested on a bad day, that’s all.

In short,
you claimed A (the X-1000 Super Tank is the best ever created)
but B happened (it failed)
so you make up an excuse that still allows you to claim A.

This kind of argument, as you can imagine, is quite common in the courts.

“I am not a violent man Your Honour. But she really pushed my buttons and I lost my temper. It has never happened before, and it will never happen again.”

“I am not a drunk driver. I just forgot how much I had to drink before I drove home that night. I did not mean to do it.”

“I am not a thief. I fully intended to return that money I borrowed from the safe. I just did not get a chance to.”

© Merlyn Gabriel Miller