The expression 'the exception that proves the rule' is a contradiction in terms. Do you agree?
by 
Elias
ANSWERS: 5
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That phrase is complete nonsense. Its premise: 1) X is true. 2) Because rules always have exceptions, X is sometimes not true. 3) Therefore, X is true. My brain just melted a little bit.
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No. It means that if there is an exception, it proves there is a rule. The exception "No dancing on Sunday" proves that the rule "Dancing allowed other days" exists. To go back to sadder days, the exception "No Blacks Allowed" proved the rule "Everything For Whites".
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(To Im Alec) I am not talking primarily about logic - I use it only as a reinforcement. I am talking about human values, and, like I said, social pretences and prejudice. It is not my intention to make an academic study of folklore by looking at it as it is. It is my intention to look at folklore critically, and where it is found wanting, to point it out in order to improve our lives. If we look at folklore as sacrosanct, we would have missed our human promise of improvement. We would still harbour unacceptable notions about, for example, Jew Boys, Sambos and Niggers. In short, we would be still in the Dark Ages. As a community, we need to rid ourselves of wooly or unacceptable thinking. (to Gingerminx) In the spring, I look out of my bedroom window and see a breathtaking tree with golden leaves. I have shots of trees, bushes and hedges with all the hues of the rainbow. Note: Sorry, this was meant as a comment in the previous discussion. I pasted it as an answer by mistake.
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first off, this isn't an expression, because no one, other than you, has ever said it. and no one has ever said it, because it doesn't make sense. because the exception disproves the rule. it doesn't prove it
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No, that's why it's the exception. Progression would be impossible without it.
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