Accident

The fallacy of accident is when you take a rule that's usually right and apply it to a special case where the rule wasn't meant to apply. You ignore legitimate exceptions or context. The rule might hold "in general" or "for the most part," but that doesn't mean it applies without qualification to every situation. Applying it blindly to a clear exception is a mistake.

Examples

• Cutting people with knives is wrong. Surgeons cut people with knives. So surgeons do something wrong.

• Lying is wrong. So you must never tell a white lie to spare someone's feelings.

• Stealing is wrong. So a parent who steals food to feed a starving child did something wrong.