By: Kristin Key

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Ad Hominem

• By Kristin Key
• Amanda Crabtree

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Its an attempt to negate the truth of a claim
by pointing out a negative characteristic or
belief of the person supporting it.
Definition
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Simplified Definition

• If Person A makes statement X and Person B
  makes an attack on person As statement and
  claims Person A is wrong. Then A's statement is
  automatically not true.

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Picture Example
Just because the speaker has an owl doesnt make
the target audience who doesnt have an owl
wrong, thats a false argument.
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Universal Example

• Bill "I believe that abortion is morally
  wrong." Dave "Of course you would say that,
  you're a priest." Bill "What about the
  arguments I gave to support my position?" Dave
  "Those don't count. Like I said, you're a priest,
  so you have to say that abortion is wrong.
  Further, you are just a lackey to the Pope, so I
  can't believe what you say."

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Universal Explanation

• Dave attacks Bills opinion about abortion
  because he believes that Bill is just claiming he
  thinks abortion is wrong because he is a priest
  and that its his place to claim and to think
  that. Although he has no reason not to think
  that, Bill does believe its morally wrong and
  isnt just saying that because he is a priest.

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Crucible Example 1

• Ad Hominem
• Hale
• Hale Aye. But the Devil is a wily one, you
  cannot deny it. However, she is far from accused,
  and I know she will not be. I thought to put some
  questions as the Christians character of this
  house, if youll permit me.
• Proctor Why we have no fear of questions,
  sir.
• Hale Good, then. In the book of record that Mr.
  Parris keeps, I note that you are rarely in the
  church on Sabbath Day.

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• Hale states that he is not going to be accused
  automatically until proven guilty but then states
  that Proctor rarely goes to church on Sunday.
  Therefore, that is evidence that he must be
  guilty because that is not what a Christian man
  would do.

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Crucible Example 2

• 1. Ad Hominem2. Cheever
• 3. Act 3 Page 211Danforth Not come to church?
• Proctor I I have no love for Mr. Parris. It
  is not secret. But God I surely love.
• Cheever He plow on Sunday, sir.

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• Danforth Plow on Sunday! Cheever I think it
  be evidence John. I am an official of the court,
  I cannot keep it.
• Proctor I I have once or twice plowed on
  Sunday. I have three children, sir, and until
  last year my hand give little.
• Just because Cheever brought up that John
  Proctor plows on Sundays he is automatically
  guilty in Danforths mind. He does not give
  Proctor time to react to that statement or
  explain himself.

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Citations

• Ad Hominem. Grammar About. Grammar.About.com,
  2011. Web. 20 Feb 2011.
• Animal Rights Philosophy. 26 Sept 2007.
  Wisconsin Historical Museum. Web. 20 Feb 2011.
• Fallacy Ad Hominem. The Nizkor Project.
  Nizkor.org. Web. 20 Feb 2011.
• T. E. Damer. Attacking Faulty Reasoning.
  Wadsworth. 2001. Web. 20 Feb 2011.