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Actually, an ad hominem is when you try to discredit an argument somebody made by attacking that person. The example you cite seems closer to attacking a perso
by staunton 3y ago
Actually, an ad hominem is when you try to discredit an argument somebody made by attacking that person.
The example you cite seems closer to attacking a person based on their arguments being (perceived or claimed to be) bad. If you say "embarrassing an XY grad would make such a stupid argument" it will only discredit the argument if I believe XY graduates are stupid (I guess the $publication example aims at this). Meanwhile, if I don't see why the argument is bad and don't have a bad opinion of XY, your statement is entirely unconvincing.
- bobtheblob 3y agoHard agree. If anything, it’s an ad-professorium attack using the discredited argument as (purported) evidence. Convincingly discrediting someone’s argument and then marveling that such error or oversight would emanate from someone so credentialed is not ad-hominem. Ad-hominem is the exact reverse. Let us at least strive to keep our error classification and biases in good order.
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]