Within No True
Why the Porridge Example Still Works
The porridge story shows how one word, true, can turn a testable claim into a protected identity label.
On this page
- The original porridge claim
- How the word true changes the argument
- What the example teaches about counterexamples
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Introduction
The porridge story is the best-known illustration of the No True Scotsman fallacy because it shows the error in its simplest possible form. A speaker begins with a broad claim about a group: “No Scotsman puts sugar on his porridge.” When a counterexample appears—a Scotsman who does put sugar on his porridge—the speaker does not revise the claim. Instead, the definition changes: “No true Scotsman puts sugar on his porridge.” The example, first popularised by philosopher Antony Flew, remains influential because almost everyone can immediately see what has happened. The discussion is not really about breakfast habits. It is about how an argument can be protected from disproof by changing the meaning of a category after evidence appears. [Wikipedia]WikipediaNo true ScotsmanNo true Scotsman
The Original Porridge Claim
The classic version involves a simple exchange. One person asserts that no Scotsman would put sugar on porridge. Another points to a Scotsman who does exactly that. Rather than accepting that the original claim was too broad, the first speaker adds a qualification and insists that no true Scotsman would behave in that way. Antony Flew used this pattern to demonstrate a common argumentative manoeuvre in which a challenged generalisation is rescued by altering the category itself. [Wikipedia]WikipediaNo true ScotsmanNo true Scotsman
The choice of porridge is part of the example’s effectiveness. Putting sugar on porridge is not part of any recognised definition of Scottish identity. It is a preference. Because the trait is obviously unrelated to nationality, readers can immediately recognise that the counterexample should count. The claim “No Scotsman puts sugar on porridge” is an empirical statement that can be checked against reality. One genuine exception is enough to show that the claim is false or at least overstated. [Wikipedia]WikipediaNo true ScotsmanNo true Scotsman
The example therefore strips away distractions. There are no complicated moral issues, political loyalties, or theological disputes. The structure of the reasoning stands out clearly.
How the Word “True” Changes the Argument
The crucial move is the insertion of a single word: true.
Before the counterexample appears, “Scotsman” means a member of the group. After the counterexample appears, “true Scotsman” quietly means a member of the group who already agrees with the original claim. The category has been narrowed specifically to exclude the inconvenient case. [Scribbr]scribbr.comno true scotsman fallacyScribbrNo True Scotsman Fallacy | Definition & Examples5 Jun 2023 — It is also known as the appeal to purity, because the speaker rejects…
This matters because the original statement and the revised statement are not the same claim.
- Original claim: No Scotsman puts sugar on porridge. [logical-fallacy.com]logical-fallacy.comNo True Scotsman - Definition and Examples - Logical Fallacy21 Sept 2024 — Origin · “No Scotsman puts sugar on his porridge,” only to hav…
- Counterexample: Angus is a Scotsman and puts sugar on porridge.
- Revised claim: No true Scotsman puts sugar on porridge. [Wikipedia]WikipediaNo true ScotsmanNo true Scotsman
The revision is not supported by an independent rule about Scottish identity. It appears only after the challenge. The definition is adjusted precisely enough to save the original assertion. Philosopher Bradley Dowden describes this kind of move as an ad hoc rescue of a failed generalisation. [Wikipedia]WikipediaNo true ScotsmanNo true Scotsman
The word true gives the impression of a deeper standard, but in the example no such standard is supplied. The speaker is effectively redefining membership so that anyone who disproves the claim is excluded from the group. [Scribbr]scribbr.comoup from a counterexample by shifting the definition of the…Read more…
Why the Example Remains So Memorable
Many logical fallacies require careful analysis to identify. The porridge case is different because the flaw is visible almost instantly.
First, the example uses an ordinary and harmless activity. Nobody believes that adding sugar to porridge determines national identity. This makes the redefinition appear obviously arbitrary. [Reddit]reddit.comRedditWhy is No True Scotsman a fallacy?: r/askphilosophyA No True Scotsman is when one retroactively modifies an initial claim in order…
Second, the example demonstrates how an argument can become immune to evidence. If every Scotsman who likes sugar is declared “not a true Scotsman”, then no amount of evidence can ever count against the original claim. The argument has become insulated from correction. [Scribbr]scribbr.comno true scotsman fallacyScribbrNo True Scotsman Fallacy | Definition & Examples5 Jun 2023 — It is also known as the appeal to purity, because the speaker rejects…
Third, the example captures a pattern that appears in many real disputes. People often feel attached to groups they admire. When a group member behaves in a way that contradicts a cherished belief, there is a temptation to protect the group’s image by excluding the offender from the category rather than revising the belief. The porridge story provides a compact model of that tendency. [Diplomacy.edu]diplomacy.eduno true scotsman25 Jun 2018 — The text discusses the "No-true-Scotsman" fallacy, which involves defending a generalization by dismissing counter-examples…
What the Example Teaches About Counterexamples
The enduring value of the porridge story lies in its lesson about how counterexamples should be handled.
When a universal claim is challenged by genuine evidence, there are several reasonable responses. A person can admit the claim was wrong, narrow it using an independently justified definition, or replace it with a more modest statement such as “most Scotsmen” or “many Scotsmen”. What they cannot legitimately do is alter the category solely to protect the original assertion. [Scribbr]scribbr.comoup from a counterexample by shifting the definition of the…Read more…
The example therefore highlights a basic principle of good reasoning: definitions should not be rewritten on the spot merely to avoid falsification. A valid category can be clarified, but the clarification must be grounded in a genuine standard rather than invented to eliminate a troublesome case. [Reddit]reddit.comRedditWhy is No True Scotsman a fallacy?: r/askphilosophyA No True Scotsman is when one retroactively modifies an initial claim in order…
That is why the porridge example remains the standard illustration of the No True Scotsman fallacy. In a few lines, it shows how a counterexample can expose an overconfident claim—and how the word true can be used to make that counterexample disappear without actually answering it. [Wikipedia]WikipediaNo true ScotsmanNo true Scotsman
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Endnotes
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: No true Scotsman
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_true_Scotsman -
Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/askphilosophy/comments/1db4k07/why_is_no_true_scotsman_a_fallacy/Source snippet
RedditWhy is No True Scotsman a fallacy?: r/askphilosophyA No True Scotsman is when one retroactively modifies an initial claim in order...
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Source: scribbr.com
Title: no true scotsman fallacy
Link: https://www.scribbr.com/fallacies/no-true-scotsman-fallacy/Source snippet
ScribbrNo True Scotsman Fallacy | Definition & Examples5 Jun 2023 — It is also known as the appeal to purity, because the speaker rejects...
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Source: scribbr.com
Link: https://www.scribbr.com/frequently-asked-questions/what-is-the-appeal-to-purity-fallacy/Source snippet
oup from a counterexample by shifting the definition of the...Read more...
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Source: diplomacy.edu
Title: no true scotsman
Link: https://www.diplomacy.edu/blog/no-true-scotsman/Source snippet
25 Jun 2018 — The text discusses the "No-true-Scotsman" fallacy, which involves defending a generalization by dismissing counter-examples...
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Source: youtube.com
Title: What is the No True Scotsman Fallacy?
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2Y27W5srR0Source snippet
No True Scotsman fallacy | Middle and High School Homeschooling Logic/Argument video...
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Source: youtube.com
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzdgd-CoKtQSource snippet
No True Scotsman Fallacy porridge No true Scotsman Seth Roentgen...
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Source: bachelorprint.com
Title: no true scotsman fallacy
Link: https://www.bachelorprint.com/fallacies/no-true-scotsman-fallacy/Source snippet
BachelorPrintNo True Scotsman Fallacy ~ Definition & Examples17 Jul 2024 — The no true Scotsman fallacy, also known as the “appeal to pur...
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Source: quillbot.com
Title: no true scotsman fallacy
Link: https://quillbot.com/blog/reasoning/no-true-scotsman-fallacy/Source snippet
Cite this...Read more...
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Source: logical-fallacy.com
Link: https://www.logical-fallacy.com/articles/no-true-scotsman/Source snippet
No True Scotsman - Definition and Examples - Logical Fallacy21 Sept 2024 — Origin · “No Scotsman puts sugar on his porridge,” only to hav...
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Source: ru.scribd.com
Title: No true Scotsman
Link: https://ru.scribd.com/document/734350253/No-true-ScotsmanSource snippet
the No True Scotsman Fallacy | PDFThe 'No true Scotsman' fallacy is an informal logical fallacy where an individual modifies a claim to e...
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Source: bob-k.medium.com
Title: refuting the no true scotsman fallacy 617585074fce
Link: https://bob-k.medium.com/refuting-the-no-true-scotsman-fallacy-617585074fceSource snippet
the No True Scotsman Fallacy | by Bob KowalskiIn general, this fallacy is used in the [context]({{ 'context/' | relative_url }}) of a religious person who has committed a c...
Additional References
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Source: study.com
Link: https://study.com/academy/lesson/no-true-scotsman-fallacy-in-philosophy.htmlSource snippet
No True Scotsman Fallacy in PhilosophyThe No True Scotsman (NTS) fallacy is an error in logic wherein one person defends a generalization...
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Source: logicallyfallacious.com
Link: https://www.logicallyfallacious.com/logicalfallacies/No-True-ScotsmanSource snippet
No True ScotsmanVariations: The more generic appeal to purity can be seen when the claim is that someone "does not have enough of" someth...
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Source: quizlet.com
Link: https://quizlet.com/study-guides/no-true-scotsman-08d084ac-8459-4344-89f9-b7d54e7e0603 -
Source: facebook.com
Title: professor anthony flew and the no true scotsman fallacyno true scotsman or appea
Link: https://www.facebook.com/HistoryukEIRE/posts/professor-anthony-flew-and-the-no-true-scotsman-fallacyno-true-scotsman-or-appea/6320356674752595/Source snippet
Professor Anthony Flew and the No True Scotsman Fallacy...23 Apr 2023 — Professor Anthony Flew and the No True Scotsman Fallacy No True...
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Source: philosophyunleashed.com
Title: 84 no true argument how a basic fallacy stops criticism and prevents peace
Link: https://www.philosophyunleashed.com/theblog/84-no-true-argument-how-a-basic-fallacy-stops-criticism-and-prevents-peaceSource snippet
NO TRUE ARGUMENT - How A Basic Fallacy Stops...May 24, 2021 — Also known as an "appeal to purity", the "no true Scotsman" fallacy makes...
Published: May 24, 2021
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Source: papers.iafor.org
Link: https://papers.iafor.org/wp-content/uploads/papers/ecerp2017/ECERP2017_36504.pdfSource snippet
IAFOR Research ArchiveArguing About Religious Identity and the No True...by R Anderson — Anthony Flew critiqued a particular argumentati...
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Source: judaism.stackexchange.com
Title: the no true scotsman fallacy and judaism
Link: https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/128498/the-no-true-scotsman-fallacy-and-judaismSource snippet
'No True Scotsman' Fallacy and Judaism - Mi YodeyaMar 8, 2022 — That fallacy is a way for members of a group to disassociate themselves f...
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Source: hwfielding.com
Title: The ‘No True Scotsman’ fallacy
Link: https://hwfielding.com/2022/07/14/the-no-true-scotsman-fallacy/Source snippet
fielding14 Jul 2022 — MacDuff: “My uncle Ian takes honey on his porridge, and he's Scottish.” MacBeth: “Perhaps. But no true Scotsman tak...
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Source: yourlogicalfallacyis.com
Link: https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/no-true-scotsmanSource snippet
criticisms or flaws of your argument.Read more...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/medievallogic/posts/2474352516100572/Source snippet
But no true fallacy would be omitted...
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