stephen cooke

Gallup’s Mirror wrote:It also doesn’t have to be an attack; it could be a compliment.

Of course.

You got the first one wrong. Just take off the conclusion part (“so…”) and you have it. It’s an attack on the person not what he says.

Without the explicit or implicit claim that the “attack” is relevant to the target’s position or the topic at hand there is no logical fallacy. It also doesn’t have to be an attack; it could be a complim…[Read more]

Strega wrote:The attack – Mike is an idiot so his opinion on global warming is idiotic and dismissable.

The fallacy – global warming isn’t real because Mike told me it was, and he’s an idiot. Is that right?

I failed to address these. You got the first one wrong. Just take off the conclusion part (“so…”) and you have it. It’s an attack on the…[Read more]

Strega wrote:I’m still a bit perplexed over ‘ad hominem fallacy”. Is that a rebuttal of such an attack? A fallacy is an untruth. Something that is believed in erroneously.

A fallacy isn’t an untruth, as you say, rather it’s a badly constructed or irrelevant argument.

As opposed to a formal fallacy (a badly constructed syllogism, for examp…[Read more]

@Unseen, so I can have an ad hominem dog bite? I know it’s an extreme, I’m using it to test your basis of definition.

I actually understand the term “ad hominem attack”. It’s when you attack the person rather than the subject matter. I think we’re all good with that, and it makes sense.

I’m still a bit perplexed over ‘ad hominem fallacy”. Is…[Read more]

Davis wrote:You have not directed us to any source that demonstrates that these two contrasting definitions of ad hominem fallacy andad hominem attack…are anything more than Unseen’s way of defining it.

Yeah, if you ignore the dictionary reference, which you’re obvio9usly willing to do in order to save your position. Otherwise, explain how the…[Read more]

Davis wrote:@Unseen. So when my dog greets me and jumps up, it’s an ad hominem greeting? When I get a birthday card, it’s an ad hominem message?

If the intent is an attack, otherwise no. That’s how ad hominem has come to be used. Either as referring to a fallacy on the one hand or an attack on the other.

Unseen wrote:

Strega wrote:
@Unseen, I get it despite the example you typed. I think it can be taken as read that you gave definitions that work for you. What is at question, is whether there exists a formal external definition, where we can all point to and agree.

However, defining “ad hominem” as literally anything opposing the person means tha…

[Read more]

@Unseen. So when my dog greets me and jumps up, it’s an ad hominem greeting? When I get a birthday card, it’s an ad hominem message?

Strega wrote:@Unseen, I get it despite the example you typed. I think it can be taken as read that you gave definitions that work for you. What is at question, is whether there exists a formal external definition, where we can all point to and agree.

However, defining “ad hominem” as literally anything opposing the person means that a punch on…

[Read more]

@Unseen, I get it despite the example you typed. I think it can be taken as read that you gave definitions that work for you. What is at question, is whether there exists a formal external definition, where we can all point to and agree.

However, defining “ad hominem” as literally anything opposing the person means that a punch on the nose…[Read more]

I will strive to be the best pompous pedant possible. I will make you proud.

@Davis, I gave a more than adequate 2-paragraph example of ad hominem being used by very intelligent and well-educated people NOT in reference to logical argument.

Also:

adjective
1. appealing to one’s prejudices, emotions, or special interests rather than to one’s intellect or reason.
2. attacking an opponent’s character rather than answering…[Read more]

Strega wrote:None of the examples you provided point to the difference between “fallacy” and “attack” when appended to “ad hominem”

If I say “Joe Blow is a right-wing nut job,” I’m not arguing with his logic, am I? And yet, I’m attacking him as a person (ad hominem). If I say, “Don’t believe Joe Blow because he’s right-wing,” that is an ad homin…[Read more]

Strega wrote:@Unseen. None of the examples you provided point to the difference between “fallacy” and “attack” when appended to “ad hominem”

What Strega said. I personally think it would be a great idea to have two different terms (with the exact labels you gave).….but at least per all of the scouring I’ve done these terms are not commonly used…[Read more]

Anyway, getting the same email notification more than once happened a lot on TA. Weird that it happens here as well.

If you check the box at the bottom of your post saying ‘notify me of follow up replies by email’ you get an email every time someone posts to that thread. If someone mentions you as @Unseen then you get an email to tell you…[Read more]

@Unseen. None of the examples you provided point to the difference between “fallacy” and “attack” when appended to “ad hominem”