No true Scotsman
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No true Scotsman is a logical fallacy and a special case of circular logic. It involves making an assertion and dismissing any counterexamples because they contradict the assertion. Thus, the person making the assertion can refuse to admit that the assertion is falsifiable.
The standard example, and the one that gives the fallacy its name, is as follows:
- "No Scotsman puts sugar in his porridge."
- "Sean is a Scotsman and puts sugar in his porridge."
- "Then Sean is not a true Scotsman, as no true Scotsman puts sugar in his porridge."
More generally, the fallacy works like this:
- "Every A is a B."
- "Here is an example of an A that is not a B."
- "Your example cannot actually be an A, since every A is a B."
The following are real-world examples:
- "The Soviet Union was not a truly Communist country, as truly Communist countries would not have been so brutal and repressive."
- "The 9/11 terrorists were not true Muslims, as Islam is a religion of peace."
