[PessimalDecimal]

I'd put "the exception that proves the rule" on the list too. It's a brilliant piece of rhetorical jiu jitsu though, somehow turning disproof of a 'rule' into confirmation. And it definitely is thought-terminating.

[jammaloo]

That's an interesting one, because it's misused more often than not, to mean what you are suggesting.

It's actually meant to say if someone provides an exception, e.g. "No parking on Wednesdays", then that proves the existence of another rule, e.g. "Parking is allowed". Since an exception, without a rule, makes no sense.

But, in my experience, people do use it to mean "Oh, this one thing is wrong, but that proves everything else is right", which does not track.

[FearNotDaniel]

No it's not. It's because the meaning of the English word "prove" has changed. It used to mean "test", which could of course have a positive or negative outcome. The modern sense of "successfully demonstrating truth" has caused this phrase to have the opposite of its original meaning.

[0] https://www.oed.com/dictionary/prove_v?tl=true

[BoppreH]

I think it's also appropriate to use it when the rule is so strong that exceptions are famous because they are exceptions. "Birds are capable of flight" is strong enough that penguins and ostriches are famous for being counterexamples.

[fluoridation]

I hated that I heard that phrase for the time as a small child and instantly realized it made no sense. "What do you mean pointing out a counterexample demonstrates the truth of a statement??" It amazes me that adults say it uncritically.

[attila-lendvai]

in hungarian it's ~"the exception strengthens the rule", which is equally misunderstood/misused by most people.

[jlongr]

It is what it is.

[jatora]

Agree to disagree