The ad hominem is a logical fallacy in which a claim or argument is rejected on the basis of some irrelevant fact about the author of or the person presenting the claim or argument. Typically, this fallacy involves two steps. First, an attack against the character of person making the claim, her circumstances, or her actions is made (or the character, circumstances, or actions of the person reporting the claim). Second, this attack is taken to be evidence against the claim or argument the person in question is making (or presenting). This type of "argument" has the following form:
Person A makes claim X.
Person B makes an attack on person A.
Therefore A's claim is false.
The reason why an Ad Hominem of any kind is a fallacy is that the character, circumstances, or actions of a person do not have a bearing on the truth or falsity of the claim being made in most cases or the quality of the argument being made.
Additionally, the ad hominem is used when the person making it has no ability to refute the argument being made.
I'm afraid that I'm guilty of using ad hominems from time (okay, total disclosure--there's a keycombo on my computer for exactly that) but that's only done after some asshat makes a ridiculous comment, assertion filled and fact free that has already been soundly debunked by someone who thinks that such behavior will result in idiots becoming savants.
ReplyDeletedemocommie, in your case it seems clear that you don't resort to the ad hominem because you have no argument, like some do, but becuase you're frustrated and don't want to resort to the argument.
ReplyDeleteI like a bit of this on my blog especially from my friends.