The idea of exceptions

[Boojatta]

Given an object or rule that is somewhat complicated, we may find ourselves thinking of a simpler object or rule together with the notion that there are some exceptions to the simpler object or rule.

For example, imagine a list of numbers. The nth entry in the list is the number n, with the following exceptions: the 203rd entry in the list is the number 200, the 1,037th entry in the list is the number 100, and the 5,003rd entry in the list is 150.

Even people who claim that there can be no violation of a law of nature should be able to imagine such a list of numbers.

Now, just as we can define a particular list of numbers by combining a simple rule with some information about exceptions to the rule, isn't it conceivable that the sequence of real events could be described by a combination of simple rules and exceptional incidents that violated those simple rules?