The description of the fallacy in this form is attributed to British philosopher Antony Flew because the term originally appeared in Flew's 1971 book An Introduction to Western Philosophy. "No true Scotsman would do something so undesirable" i.e., the people who would do such a thing are tautologically (definitionally) excluded from being part of our group such that they cannot serve as a counterexample to the group's good nature. To protect people of Scottish heritage from a possible accusation of guilt by association, one may use this fallacy to deny that the group is associated with this undesirable member or action. Scottish national pride may be at stake if someone regularly considered to be Scottish commits a heinous crime. using rhetoric to hide the modificationĪn appeal to purity is commonly associated with protecting a preferred group.offering a modified assertion that definitionally excludes a targeted unwanted counterexample.not publicly retreating from the initial, falsified assertion.The “No True Scotsman” fallacy is committed when the arguer satisfies the following conditions: Person A: "But no true Scotsman puts sugar on his porridge." Person B: "But my uncle Angus is a Scotsman and he puts sugar on his porridge." Person A: "No Scotsman puts sugar on his porridge."
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