(e) John has earned the enviable (?) reputation of being the “worst boy in school,” hence he is going to be the worst boy in “my grade.”
(f) Mary is an inveterate whisperer; and since I know that some one is whispering, I am sure that that some one is Mary.
(g) Being a convict, he is not to be trusted.
(2) Converse Accident.
As the title implies this is the fallacy of reasoning from an accidental case to a general truth. Illustrations:
(a) “John has been a bad boy to-day; and hence he is going to make trouble during the entire term.”
(b) “This food is good for hens; and hence it is good for all domestic fowls.”
(c) “I know of several men who have been phenomenally serviceable to mankind, and none of these men were college trained; hence I conclude that college education is not essential to the attainment of the highest state of efficiency.”
Relative to both accident and converse accident, it may be said that they obtain because all general truths, such as rules, principles, definitions, maxims, etc., have their exceptions; and it is through these exceptions that the two fallacies are made possible.
Accident and Converse Accident Distinguished from Division and Composition.