Lesson · 4 min Gentle
Moving the Goalposts
In one line Agree in advance what would count as evidence, so the test cannot be changed after it is passed.
A goalpost is the standard a claim has to meet. Moving it means changing the standard after the claim has met it. “Show me one study” becomes “show me three,” and then “show me a study I like.” The standard keeps rising, so the claim never wins.
It often looks reasonable in the moment, because each new demand sounds fair by itself. The pattern is what gives it away: the speaker was never going to be satisfied.
The remedy is to agree on the test before looking at results. Ask, “What would convince you?” and write it down. If the standard is met, the person who set it should accept the result or explain plainly why they no longer hold their own test.
The bet on the new app
Jo bets her brother Ben that the new budgeting app will save her a hundred dollars in three months. He says, “If you save a hundred, I will believe it works.”
She saves a hundred and ten. Ben says, “But you were careful anyway.” Next time, Jo asks him to write the test down first, including what would count as careful.
Try this today Before your next debate, write down what result would change your mind, and show it to the other person.
Cite or share this lesson
A plain reference you can paste into notes or an essay:
Quest2Reason. “Moving the Goalposts.” https://quest2reason.com/learn/lesson/moving-the-goalposts. Accessed 13 November 2026.
Sources
- Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, “Fallacies” — A reference on what makes a pattern of reasoning a fallacy.
- Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, “Informal Logic” — On how arguments are assessed in ordinary language.
- Wikipedia, “Moving the goalposts” — Changing the standard after it has been met.