Fallacy · Rigging the question
Special pleading
Also called: Double standard
Applying a rule to others while claiming an exception for yourself without a good reason.
What it is
A rule or standard should apply to every case like it. Special pleading carves out an exception for a favored case without explaining what makes it different in a way that matters. It is a double standard dressed up as a principle.
An example
“Everyone has to keep their phone off in the meeting. Mine’s different, I might get an important call.” So might everyone else.
How to spot it
An exception appears exactly where it suits the speaker, with no difference that would justify it.
How to answer it
“What makes this case different in a way that matters for the rule?”
When it is not a fallacy
Exceptions are fair when there is a relevant difference, such as a doctor on call keeping a phone on.
Printable sheet of all fallacies
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A plain reference you can paste into notes or an essay:
Quest2Reason. “Special pleading.” https://quest2reason.com/learn/ideas/fallacies/special-pleading. Accessed 13 November 2026.