3 ms·

Ben Stein, really? I am sorry but ever since he decided that evolution was BS I quit listening to the guy. Speaking clearly and having a strong education is a

• herdrick 17y ago
  Ad hominem. It's a good essay.
  • apinstein 17y ago
    It's not totally ad hominem... I know the guy, and I know that he can make a compelling-sounding argument against something that I know (believe/whatever) to be true (ie evolution). Thus I no longer trust anything he says because I don't trust his motives or his arguments to be made in good faith. I happily continue to listen to arguments made by people I have had previous disagreements with, but not those who I have evidence that simply ignore facts and scientific process. My experience tells me it's a waste of time. There's a difference between that and an ad hominem attack.
    • herdrick 17y ago
      First, I think you'd have a hard time finding anything good to read if you only stuck with writers who sound wrong when they're wrong. Second, Stein's anti-evolution thing is a religious belief and you'd be wise to forgive someone's apparently irrational thinking in that area. Religion is special. (But anyway I'm fine with ad hominem judgments. They're useful.)
  • ahoyhere 17y ago
    Just because the argument has something about the person himself doesn't make it ad hominem. Saying "He's a shitty dresser, therefore don't listen to what he says" -- that's ad hominem. Past proof of his reasoning abilities (or lack thereof) are totally fair game, not ad hominem at all. Instead of an AH attack, OP uses a commonplace (we all believe in evolution here on HN) as well as appeal to authority (in reverse). Please brush up on your rhetoric skillz.