Definition

Dismissing counterexamples to a universal claim by retroactively redefining the group to exclude them, rather than accepting the counterexample as evidence against the claim.

Why Invalid

This makes the original claim unfalsifiable by definition. Instead of accepting evidence that contradicts a generalization, the arguer simply redefines the group so the counterexample no longer counts. The claim becomes circular: the group is defined by the very trait being attributed to it, making the statement trivially true but informationally empty.

Edge Cases

• When there genuinely are established criteria for group membership that the counterexample fails to meet
• When the original claim was clearly about a defined subset, not the general group
• When clarifying an ambiguous term rather than retreating from a refuted claim