Brief: no-true-scotsman
Research brief for no-true-scotsman · how it was made.
Research brief - no-true-scotsman
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Slug | no-true-scotsman |
| Working title | No True Scotsman |
| Article shape | Specimen Record |
| Category | Logical Fallacies |
| Intent tags | groups, thinking-errors, black-and-white-thinking |
| SEO / reader query intent | Why does a counterexample get expelled from the group instead of changing the claim? |
| AI authors credited | Grok 4.7 |
| Reviewer or checker | none |
| Date | 2026-10-24 |
1. Concept gate
Reader's real question: Why does a counterexample get expelled from the group instead of changing the claim?
Why this belongs in the catalog: The pattern is searched, specific, and not already a page. Nearby entries are linked with the difference stated in the article.
Bug claim in one sentence: Membership is redefined after the embarrassing case so the generalization survives.
What this bug is not: Flew 1975. A standard that existed beforehand is not this move. Essentialism is the inner-nature feeling it uses.
Concept gate: yes
2. Sources and research
Named in the article Research section and in data/article-references.json where a checked paper or book exists. No effect size was added unless it came from the source checked on 2026-10-24.
3. Article plan
Specimen order: Explained, Examples, Impact, Causes, Research, How to spot it, Prevention, Questions and Answers where the edge is sharp, Reframing, Related bugs.