Ad hominem: Difference between revisions

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[[Ad hominem]] fallacies involve attacking the person rather than the argument.
[[Ad hominem]] fallacies involve attacking the person rather than the argument, e.g., by casting aspersions on that person's character, or associating the person with a distasteful ideology.
 
This is a logical fallacy because the fact that a person is repugnant does not mean that they are wrong.


==Examples==
==Examples==
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* Elizabeth is a convicted drug user
* Elizabeth is a convicted drug user
* Therefore Elizabeth's claims aren't trustworthy
* Therefore Elizabeth's claims aren't trustworthy
* Bob says that the sky is blue.
* Bob is a communist, and cannot be trusted.
* Therefore, the sky is not blue.


[[Category: Logical fallacies]]
[[Category: Logical fallacies]]

Revision as of 21:22, 18 July 2006

Ad hominem fallacies involve attacking the person rather than the argument, e.g., by casting aspersions on that person's character, or associating the person with a distasteful ideology.

This is a logical fallacy because the fact that a person is repugnant does not mean that they are wrong.

Examples

  • Elizabeth claims that John murdered Sally
  • Elizabeth is a convicted drug user
  • Therefore Elizabeth's claims aren't trustworthy


  • Bob says that the sky is blue.
  • Bob is a communist, and cannot be trusted.
  • Therefore, the sky is not blue.