An Ad Hoc (Latin for "to this") argument or rescue is an explanation entirely invented after the fact to save a flawed theory from being disproven.
Changing the rules of the game just so you don't lose.
Key characteristics:
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Post-Facto: It is not a prediction or a premise; it is an excuse created exactly at the moment it is needed.
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Untestable: Often, the ad hoc rescue introduces a new variable that cannot be independently tested or verified. E.g., "The psychic's powers didn't work because your negative energy interfered with them."
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Complexity: It violates Occam's Razor by constantly adding new, unnecessary complexities to a theory just to keep it alive.
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}