Attacking the Person
dsa...@zurich.csail.mit.edu
Cedarblom and Paulsen: 155,
Copi and Cohen: 97,
Davis: 80
By Stephen Downes
http://www.datanation.com/fallacies/attack.htm
Attacking the Person
(argumentum ad hominem)
Definition:
The person presenting an argument is attacked instead of the
argument itself.
This takes many forms.
For example, the person's character, nationality or religion may
be attacked.
Alternatively, it may be pointed out that a person stands to gain
from a favourable outcome.
Or, finally, a person may be attacked by association, or by the
company he keeps.
There are three major forms of Attacking the Person:
(1) ad hominem (abusive):
instead of attacking an assertion, the argument attacks the
person who made the assertion.
(2) ad hominem (circumstantial):
instead of attacking an assertion the author points to the
relationship between the person making the assertion and the
person's circumstances.
(3) ad hominem (tu quoque):
this form of attack on the person notes that a person does
not practise what he preaches.
Examples:
(i) You may argue that God doesn't exist, but you are just
following a fad.
(ad hominem abusive)
(ii) We should discount what Premier Klein says about taxation
because he won't be hurt by the increase.
(ad hominem circumstantial)
(iii) We should disregard Share B.C.'s argument because they are
being funded by the logging industry.
(ad hominem circumstantial)
(iv) You say I shouldn't drink, but you haven't been sober for
more than a year.
(ad hominem tu quoque)
Proof:
Identify the attack and show that the character or circumstances
of the person has nothing to do with the truth or falsity of the
proposition being defended.
References:
Barker: 166,
Cedarblom and Paulsen: 155,
Copi and Cohen: 97,
Davis: 80
http://www.datanation.com/fallacies/attack.htm
By Stephen Downes