ad hominem – In Latin means “to the people.” As a debate tactic it is an attempt to draw the discussion away from the facts and evidence of the debate and focus them on the person(s) in the debate or to another person who holds similar views.
Most of the time when a person uses an ad hominem tactic it is because they have run out of facts and evidence to discuss and they turn to they people who are making the arguments. The best way to stop someone who is using an ad hominem tactic is to call it out and tell them that it is not based on the facts or evidence.
Here are several examples of ad hominem statements. See if you can locate how they are drawing the attention away from the facts and putting it on the person.
1. Why should I be a Christian like all those TV preachers who have had affairs and cheated on their wives?
2. Those Christians are so narrow-minded and fundamental, they won’t accept the facts.
3. He is closed-minded and will only accept empirical evidence from science to prove his claim.
4. You are not a biologist or physicist and you do not have the understanding to be able to argue about matters of science.
5. The Green Bay Packers are not going to win the Superbowl this year because their quarterback’s mom is ugly.
As always questions, comments, and discussions welcome.
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