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Believe well epistemology

No True Scotsman

Redefining a category on the fly to dodge a counterexample.

When someone meets a counterexample by narrowing the definition — “no *true* member would do that” — they’re protecting a claim from evidence instead of updating it. The move quietly changes the subject: the category is being redrawn to stay true by definition. Catch it by fixing the definition *before* the argument, and holding it still when the inconvenient example shows up.

Where it applies

Skills this lens bears on — open any to see the lesson.

epistemology Weigh a claim critically “Says who, and how do they know?” — ask it every time. society Debate a topic respectfully Argue the idea, not the person — and be willing to lose.