84 How to Win Every Argument
audience barely notice them on the way to a discussion about a
more general statement.
Practically every single case of monetary expansion is followed within 16
months by an attendant general price rise of the same proportions.
(This is the classic statement of sado-monetarism. Note the first word- nobody else does.)
In this example the qualifying word 'practically' is half-concealed
by the stress given to 'every single case'. Should embarrassing
cases turn up which do not follow the rule, one can always
retreat to the qualification and point out that the assertion did
not claim to cover all instances.
There is a fallacy inherent in making a restricted claim and
then engaging in discussion as if it were a general claim. The
important information that the assertion does not apply to all
cases is omitted from consideration. The fact that the limitation is
expressed does not remove the fallacy. It is the fact that the
qualification is half-concealed which causes it to be unnoticed,
and which excludes relevant information.
The link between poltergeist phenomena and psychological troubles is
now clearly established. In almost every case of unexplained breakages
and moving objects, there is a disturbed youngster in the household.
(And since no one noticed the 'almost', we don't need to talk about
the other cases.)Half-concealed qualification is widely used to support half a
case. When there is a gap in the evidence supporting a complete
link, the fallacy papers over the crack. Science and philosophy do
not admit unexplained exceptions. Newton would not have got
very far by telling us that objects are usually attracted towards
each other by a force which varies inversely with the square of