Figure of speech (secundum quid)

Biological Parallel

Taking qualified statements as absolute: 'Birds can fly' ignores penguins, ostriches, kiwis. The figure of speech fallacy mistakes general rules for universal laws. In biology, nearly every rule has exceptions: 'mammals give live birth' (except monotremes), 'plants photosynthesize' (except parasites), 'DNA codes for proteins' (except junk DNA, regulatory regions). Evolution explores edge cases relentlessly. Biological 'rules' are statistical tendencies, not logical necessities. Context always qualifies.