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Fallacy: Personal Attack

Discussion in 'Other Discussions' started by Revmitchell, May 19, 2017.

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  1. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    Also Known as: Ad Hominem Abusive.

    Description of Personal Attack
    A personal attack is committed when a person substitutes abusive remarks for evidence when attacking another person's claim or claims. This line of "reasoning" is fallacious because the attack is directed at the person making the claim and not the claim itself. The truth value of a claim is independent of the person making the claim. After all, no matter how repugnant an individual might be, he or she can still make true claims.

    Not all ad Hominems are fallacious. In some cases, an individual's characteristics can have a bearing on the question of the veracity of her claims. For example, if someone is shown to be a pathological liar, then what he says can be considered to be unreliable. However, such attacks are weak, since even pathological liars might speak the truth on occasion.

    In general, it is best to focus one's attention on the content of the claim and not on who made the claim. It is the content that determines the truth of the claim and not the characteristics of the person making the claim.

    Examples of Personal Attack
    1. In a school debate, Bill claims that the President's economic plan is unrealistic. His opponent, a professor, retorts by saying "the freshman has his facts wrong."


    2. "This theory about a potential cure for cancer has been introduced by a doctor who is a known lesbian feminist. I don't see why we should extend an invitation for her to speak at the World Conference on Cancer."


    3. "Bill says that we should give tax breaks to companies. But he is untrustworthy, so it must be wrong to do that."


    4. "That claim cannot be true. Dave believes it, and we know how morally repulsive he is."


    5. "Bill claims that Jane would be a good treasurer. However I find Bill's behavior offensive, so I'm not going to vote for Jill."


    6. "Jane says that drug use is morally wrong, but she is just a goody-two shoes Christian, so we don't have to listen to her."


    7. Bill: "I don't think it is a good idea to cut social programs."
      Jill: "Why not?"
      Bill: "Well, many people do not get a fair start in life and hence need some help. After all, some people have wealthy parents and have it fairly easy. Others are born into poverty and..."
      Jill: "You just say that stuff because you have a soft heart and an equally soft head."
    Fallacy: Personal Attack
     
    #1 Revmitchell, May 19, 2017
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  2. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    #2 Revmitchell, May 19, 2017
  3. Rolfe

    Rolfe Well-Known Member
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    [​IMG]
     
    #3 Rolfe, May 19, 2017
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  4. JPPT1974

    JPPT1974 Active Member
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    Ever heard of agree to disagree? People that attack need to learn to come to an agreement. And to do so in a polite and orderly manner.
    People do have feelings. Not the first board nor will it be the last board that people attack. As it is about getting along. Remember you are the better person if you agree to disagree.
     
    #4 JPPT1974, May 19, 2017
  5. Rob_BW

    Rob_BW Well-Known Member
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    [​IMG]
     
    #5 Rob_BW, May 19, 2017
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  6. Brent W

    Brent W Active Member

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    I bet things would be easier for you if the nut job guy that caused you to make this thread would go away so you could continue to support a delusional far right agenda with no resistance?
     
    #6 Brent W, May 20, 2017
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  7. Rippon

    Rippon Well-Known Member
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    BW: What, in your estimation is the "far right agenda"? It would be helpful to define your terms.
    You may find, with some degree of discernment, that millions of conservatives having common sense are being demonized
    with no just cause.

    The loony left = crazies who would love to topple the government, having no ethical principles, much less any Christian values.
    Some of the LL are anarchists who destroy buildings and assault people just to be paid.
    Many of the LL do not believe in free speech. They will not tolerate the voicing of an opinion that differs from their own.
    Most of the LL are godless because their very actions and opinions are at variance with the Bible.
    The LL are composed of individuals who are consumed with hatred --so much venom that they need to be locked up so that decent citizens will not be victims of their crimes.
    All of the LL are HYPOCRITES. That is a distinctive marking that they can't avoid. If that has to be explained then those who pretend not to understand are in need of spiritual counsel.
     
    #7 Rippon, May 20, 2017
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  8. Rolfe

    Rolfe Well-Known Member
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    I disagree. This thread reeks of passive-aggressiveness against another poster from another thread (not me).
     
    #8 Rolfe, May 20, 2017
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  9. Happy

    Happy Well-Known Member
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    :Cry

    I'm telling mommy.

    Mommy: Shush, until you can take what you dish out.

    First :p
    Second :p
    Second:p
    First:p

    It's not that we both did it, It's that he did it first.... :Roflmao
     
    #9 Happy, May 20, 2017
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  10. Rob_BW

    Rob_BW Well-Known Member
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    Sorry, haven't been spending much time here lately.
     
    #10 Rob_BW, May 20, 2017
  11. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    Ok well that is fine, you can continue to make these personal attacks but when you chide others around here for doing it where does that place you.
    By the way, you think you are the first far left liberal to come on this board and attack me in the name of resisting my view point? I have been around here for a long time. I guess the only difference here is you say one thing and do another.
     
    #11 Revmitchell, May 20, 2017
  12. Rippon

    Rippon Well-Known Member
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    Some of the prominent Democrats have been waging war against Trump.
    And by "prominent Democrats I mean leading loony leftists such as :
    Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, Maxine Waters, Elizabeth Warren, Elijah Cummings, John Lewis, Tom Perez and Keith Ellison.

    Do any of them have virtues that you admire? Can they even be called respectable? These are the leading Democrats. They are not minor players. Can you trust them? Would you want American values based on their agenda?
     
    #12 Rippon, May 20, 2017
  13. TCassidy

    TCassidy Late-Administator Emeritus
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    Is a far right agenda necessarily delusional? Or is it possible that they simply see the political spectrum from a different perspective?

    I am pretty much a centrist. I am fiscally conservative (don't spend what you don't have) and a social moderate (leave people alone to order their lives in any way they choose as long as they don't harm others).

    Because of my centrist views I get flak from both sides, but don't consider those to my right or those to my left as being delusional. They just see things from a different perspective. :)
     
    #13 TCassidy, May 20, 2017
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  14. TCassidy

    TCassidy Late-Administator Emeritus
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    What makes you think he is a far left liberal? Isn't it possible he is a left of center moderate? :)
     
    #14 TCassidy, May 20, 2017
  15. TCassidy

    TCassidy Late-Administator Emeritus
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    I don't know any of them personally but they probably love their spouse, children, grand children, and are genuinely concerned for the less fortunate among us.

    I am not aware of any disrespectable conduct in their public lives, but I suppose it is possible they are hiding such conduct from public view. Remember Dennis Hastert and Mark Foley?

    I don't know. I trust them to pursue their progressive agenda.

    No. But I am pretty much a libertarian. :)
     
    #15 TCassidy, May 20, 2017
  16. HankD

    HankD Well-Known Member
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    How soon we forget:

    [​IMG][​IMG]

    HankD
     
    #16 HankD, May 21, 2017
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  17. Brent W

    Brent W Active Member

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    It is a personal view but yes I think it is. Probably a stronger word than should have been used but I view it as very much unrealistic.
     
    #17 Brent W, May 22, 2017
  18. Brent W

    Brent W Active Member

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    He can't answer this question. In his mind anyone that does not adhere to his far right beliefs must be a far left liberal. His political beliefs are the very definition of binary. To use a George Bush reference, you are either with him or against him.
     
    #18 Brent W, May 22, 2017
  19. Rippon

    Rippon Well-Known Member
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    The above are mainstream Democrats, who by any sane evaluation are quite loony. These are the leaders of the opposition. Do they represent the goals, values and agenda of most Americans? Of course not.
     
    #19 Rippon, May 22, 2017
  20. Rippon

    Rippon Well-Known Member
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    This is from my post #7. I asked BW what he meant by the "far right agenda" but he finds it difficult to come up with anything. I fleshed out what the loony left represents, he needs to do the same with respect to what he calls the "far right". Simply lobbing out terms with no meaning is, well, meaningless.
     
    #20 Rippon, May 22, 2017
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