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{{fallacy|special pleading}}
''' Special pleading''' is a [[Logical fallacy|fallacy]] of informal [[logic]] whereby a party to a controversy exempts himself (or one whom he has a special interest in protecting) from a criticism that he applies to others.
== Argument structure ==
The logical structure of a special pleading typically follows this form:
# Person X criticizes opponent O on grounds G.
# X could be criticized on the same grounds.
# However, X is exempt from G.<ref name=Nizkor>The Nizkor Project, [http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/special-pleading.html Fallacy: Special Pleading] (retrieved April 9, 2007)</ref><ref name=Damer>T. Edward Damer, ''Attacking Faulty Reasoning: A Practical Guide to Fallacy-Free Arguments'', 3rd ed., Wadsworth, 1995, pp. 122-124. Retrieved April 9, 2007, from [http://www.fallacyfiles.org/specplea.html The Fallacy Files]</ref>
== Types of exemptions claimed ==
One engaged in special pleading might claim exemption from grounds G above in a variety of ways:
=== Offering an Irrelevant Difference ===
The usual form of special pleading is to cite a counter-ground that is simply irrelevant.<ref name=Nizkor/><ref name=Thompson>Bruce Thompson, [http://www.cuyamaca.edu/bruce.thompson/Fallacies/specialpleading.asp Special Pleading], in [http://www.cuyamaca.edu/bruce.thompson/Fallacies/intro_fallacies.asp Bruce Thompson's Fallacy Pages] (retrieved April 9, 2007)</ref> The irrelevant ground might be either an alleged special circumstance<ref name=Nizkor/> or a unique or at least unshared perspective or credential<ref name=Thompson/>. "How dare you criticize a (wo)man of my talent/education/training" is a crude example of the special-credential plea.
=== Ignoring Unfavorable Evidence ===
The other form of special pleading involves simply ignoring evidence unfavorable to one's position.<ref name=Heritage>The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed., [http://www.bartleby.com/61/43/S0614300.html Definition of special pleading] (retrieved April 9, 2007)</ref> One engaged in this form of special pleading concentrates only on one aspect of an issue, or a subset of aspects favorable to the person making the claim. Falsification of evidence is not involved here, but ''dissemblance'' might be.
== Related Concept ==
In [[law]], the introduction of a special circumstance intended to extenuate a [[crime]] or a [[tort]], instead of denying that the crime or tort occurred or that the defendant did the deed, is often called a special pleading.<ref name=Heritage/> [[Self-defense]] is the classic special plea in law. But this would not normally qualify as a special pleading in logic. Under the laws of most nation-states today, self-defense ''is'' directly relevant to a judgment of guilt for certain crimes, especially [[murder]].
== References ==
<references/>
''' Special pleading''' is a [[Logical fallacy|fallacy]] of informal [[logic]] whereby a party to a controversy exempts himself (or one whom he has a special interest in protecting) from a criticism that he applies to others.
== Argument structure ==
The logical structure of a special pleading typically follows this form:
# Person X criticizes opponent O on grounds G.
# X could be criticized on the same grounds.
# However, X is exempt from G.<ref name=Nizkor>The Nizkor Project, [http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/special-pleading.html Fallacy: Special Pleading] (retrieved April 9, 2007)</ref><ref name=Damer>T. Edward Damer, ''Attacking Faulty Reasoning: A Practical Guide to Fallacy-Free Arguments'', 3rd ed., Wadsworth, 1995, pp. 122-124. Retrieved April 9, 2007, from [http://www.fallacyfiles.org/specplea.html The Fallacy Files]</ref>
== Types of exemptions claimed ==
One engaged in special pleading might claim exemption from grounds G above in a variety of ways:
=== Offering an Irrelevant Difference ===
The usual form of special pleading is to cite a counter-ground that is simply irrelevant.<ref name=Nizkor/><ref name=Thompson>Bruce Thompson, [http://www.cuyamaca.edu/bruce.thompson/Fallacies/specialpleading.asp Special Pleading], in [http://www.cuyamaca.edu/bruce.thompson/Fallacies/intro_fallacies.asp Bruce Thompson's Fallacy Pages] (retrieved April 9, 2007)</ref> The irrelevant ground might be either an alleged special circumstance<ref name=Nizkor/> or a unique or at least unshared perspective or credential<ref name=Thompson/>. "How dare you criticize a (wo)man of my talent/education/training" is a crude example of the special-credential plea.
=== Ignoring Unfavorable Evidence ===
The other form of special pleading involves simply ignoring evidence unfavorable to one's position.<ref name=Heritage>The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed., [http://www.bartleby.com/61/43/S0614300.html Definition of special pleading] (retrieved April 9, 2007)</ref> One engaged in this form of special pleading concentrates only on one aspect of an issue, or a subset of aspects favorable to the person making the claim. Falsification of evidence is not involved here, but ''dissemblance'' might be.
== Related Concept ==
In [[law]], the introduction of a special circumstance intended to extenuate a [[crime]] or a [[tort]], instead of denying that the crime or tort occurred or that the defendant did the deed, is often called a special pleading.<ref name=Heritage/> [[Self-defense]] is the classic special plea in law. But this would not normally qualify as a special pleading in logic. Under the laws of most nation-states today, self-defense ''is'' directly relevant to a judgment of guilt for certain crimes, especially [[murder]].
== References ==
<references/>