ad hominem or Argumentum ad hominem is a kind of fallacy that is characterized when a certain person responds to an argument with negative criticism of its author and not the content presented.
A fallacy is a false argument, an idea that seems to convey a valid truth or discourse but lacks a logical and coherent basis.
This is a Latin expression and can be translated as "argument against the person" (argumentum ad hominem).
the fallacy of type ad hominem it can be classified as a diversion of attention, shifting the focus from the subject under discussion to some aspect that has nothing to do with the presented proposition.
For example, when individual A makes a proposition X, individual B, instead of questioning the argument proposed by A, directly and improperly attacks this person with personal accusations that have nothing to do with the debate.
Learn more about meaning of fallacy.
There are different categories of fallacies ad hominem, like:
- abusive ad hominem (ad personam): consists of a direct personal attack on the character of the person who proposed a given argument;
- circumstantial ad hominem (ad hominem circumstantiae): when the partiality of the person who proposed the argument is called into question, indicating that this person would have something to gain by defending a certain point of view.
- you quoque: also known as the fallacy of hypocrisy, as the opponent is accused of practicing what he is putting into question.
A: "Smoking is bad for your health"
B: "I don't know why you say that. You tend to smoke sometimes".
In the example above, note that individual A makes a proposition and, in contrast, B instead of questioning the argument proposed by the first, uses the fallacy of hypocrisy to shift the focus from discussion.