> the exception that proves the rule. Off-topic: I was presented with the argument that this sentence should be taken to mean "this is the exception that shows

> the exception that proves the rule. Off-topic: I was presented with the argument that this sentence should be taken to mean "this is the exception that shows the rule [as in law] is needed" rather than "this is the exception that the rule [as in inference/deduction] is correct". I have not looked into whether this interpretation is historically true, but it makes much more sense.