Skip to main content
Dictionary
Store
Blog
World
Help
Advertise
Chat
System Status
Information Collection Notice
Trademark Concerns
reCAPTCHA Privacy
Terms of Service
reCAPTCHA Terms
Privacy Policy
Accessibility
Report a Bug
Data Request
Contact Us
Security
DMCA
© 1999–2026 Urban Dictionary ®
Mugs
Tees
Hoodies
Pro Customization
Create unique products with your own words and definitions
Preview
Personalize Your Design
Your Word
Your Definition
The principle that ad hoc constructions are always possible—there is always some explanation, some solution, some argument that can be devised for the specific case, regardless of whether it generalizes. The law acknowledges human creativity: faced with a novel situation, we can always invent something that addresses it, even if that something has no broader application. This is the source of both human ingenuity (we can solve unprecedented problems) and human folly (we can justify anything). The law of the possible ad hoc reminds us that possibility is not the same as validity—just because we can invent an ad hoc explanation doesn't mean it's true.
Text fits
Save
Cancel