How to Win Every Argument: The Use and Abuse of Logic (2006)

154 How to Win Every Argument

also throw out our own. If we were to receive special treatment,

how could we justify withholding it from others? Argument

proceeds by general rules, and exceptions must be justified.

While it is not normally right to invade someone's privacy, it is all right

for us, as journalists, to do so because we serve a public need.

(Even though we make private money.)

Special pleading is sometimes described as 'benefit of clergy',
because of the right which the medieval Church established to
have clerical offenders tried in church courts even for civil crimes.
This right, which was called 'benefit of clergy', is really what the
special pleader seeks - the right to be tried in a different court.

Capitalism has always left areas of poverty and hardship, and mis-

allocated resources. Socialism, on the other hand, has never been

properly tried.

(Can you spot the special pleading? We are invited to compare

capitalism in practice, as applied, with theoretical socialism. This is

sometimes called 'real' socialism, to conceal the fact that it is the

opposite of real. Of course, if we look at capitalist countries for the

record of capitalism, then we should look at socialist countries for the

record of socialism. Theory with theory, or practice with practice.)

Special pleading is normally resorted to by those whose case

would not fare well in the general courts. Faced with a clash

between their ideas and the evidence, scientists change their

ideas. The special pleaders, like social scientists, prefer to change

the evidence and show why normal judgements cannot be made

in their particular case. Very often it is the supreme importance of

the cause which is called upon to justify the special standards.