Difference between revisions of "Ad hominem"
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(people who insult you are all liars, you might think) |
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Suppose you are late for a job interview and a bum on the street says, "Hey, dummy, your tie's crooked!" You might dismiss what he said because: | Suppose you are late for a job interview and a bum on the street says, "Hey, dummy, your tie's crooked!" You might dismiss what he said because: | ||
| − | # | + | #It was an insult (people who insult you are all liars) |
#He's just a bum (the unemployed don't know anything) | #He's just a bum (the unemployed don't know anything) | ||
A glance in the mirror is the only way to determine whether the remark was true. Moreover, it could make the difference between getting the job and being turned down. | A glance in the mirror is the only way to determine whether the remark was true. Moreover, it could make the difference between getting the job and being turned down. | ||
[[Category:Logical fallacy]] | [[Category:Logical fallacy]] | ||
Revision as of 13:55, April 3, 2007
Ad hominem means "against the man", rather than against what the man is saying. This Latin phrase describes one of the oldest known logical fallacies.
It casts doubt on what a person is saying because of (imputed) flaws in the person which are unrelated to the matter at hand.
Suppose you are late for a job interview and a bum on the street says, "Hey, dummy, your tie's crooked!" You might dismiss what he said because:
- It was an insult (people who insult you are all liars)
- He's just a bum (the unemployed don't know anything)
A glance in the mirror is the only way to determine whether the remark was true. Moreover, it could make the difference between getting the job and being turned down.