special 

denoting a group consisting of matrices of unit determinant.

The special linear group, according to Wikipedia, is defined as the set of square matrices with unit determinant over a commutative ring.

special by Arminkshipper August 19, 2025

special 

a product or service offered at a temporarily reduced price.

"Mrs. Hill was a careful shopper, choosing house brands and in-store specials"

special by Arminkshipper August 19, 2025

special mix

The labelling on instant coffee that implies more "kicking" caffeine than your usual instant coffee (especially without any disclaimer that explains the definition of "special mix"), even though it akcually means higher amount of sugar as it consists of "coffee + milk + sugar" (which is not even the same as "unsweetened milk coffee")

I grabbed a pack of that instant coffee labeled 'special mix' thinking I'd get a caffeine boost, but it turned out to be just a sugary mess!

special mix by Emotional Cruiser October 15, 2025

Special Picking

A more insidious form of selection that focuses on extraordinary, anomalous, or extreme cases and presents them as representative of the whole. It often involves picking the most emotionally charged or bizarre examples to provoke outrage or fear, making rational assessment of the typical case impossible.

Example: "The debate turned into special picking when he argued against immigration by focusing solely on the one, highly publicized crime committed by an immigrant last year. By specially picking this extreme, traumatic outlier, he painted a picture of universal threat, drowning out all statistical reality."

Special Picking by AbzuInExile January 31, 2026

Special Logic

Creating a unique, ad-hoc, or personalized set of logical rules to defend a predetermined conclusion, especially when applied to a special case dear to the arguer. This logic often contradicts the general logic they apply to everything else and is immune to standard counter-argument.

Example: "He deployed special logic for his favorite politician: 'Sure, taking undisclosed money is corruption for others, but for him, it's just building pragmatic relationships to get things done for people like us.' The rules of cause, effect, and ethics were specially rewritten for that one person."

Special Logic by AbzuInExile January 31, 2026

Special Rationality

A tailored system of reasoning used to justify actions or beliefs in a specific, often high-stakes or identity-linked, context. This rationality may include unique axioms or weightings of evidence that would not pass muster in general discourse but feel completely compelling within the special frame.

Example: "The cult leader's special rationality was airtight to his followers: 'The spacecraft is invisible to non-believers because their vibrations are low. The fact you can't see it with telescopes proves you need our cleansing ritual.' Within the special framework, the lack of evidence became the strongest evidence."

Special Rationality by AbzuInExile January 31, 2026

Special Argument

An argument designed for a unique, narrow, or highly technical context, often relying on jargon, specific legal precedents, or intricate details unknown to a general audience. It can be perfectly valid within its sphere but incomprehensible or irrelevant outside of it.

Example: "The lawyers spent hours on a special argument about the jurisdictional precedent under the maritime law of the 18th century as it applied to a digital asset transaction. It was critically important to the case and utter gibberish to anyone else in the courtroom."

Special Argument by AbzuInExile January 31, 2026