Argumentum Ad Hominem Fallacy Examples in Media, Real Life, Politics, News & Ads

Argumentum Ad Hominem Fallacy

What Is Argumentum Ad Hominem Fallacy?

Argumentum ad hominem (Latin for “argument to the person”) is a logical fallacy in which an argument is rebutted by attacking the character, motive, or other attributes of the person advancing it. The term originated from Roman poet and satirist Juvenal’s phrase “argumentum ad hominem,” meaning an argument directed at the man rather than addressing his arguments.

Argumentation, as defined by Wikipedia, is a formal logical debate with well-defined rules. Arguments can be about any topic, but the most popular arguments are about politics and morality issues.

Ad hominem fallacy is a term used in logic and rhetoric to describe the tactic of attacking someone’s character rather than their ideas. It consists of making an argument that one’s opponent is not credible because they are immoral or corrupt, without any supporting evidence.

Argumentum Ad hominem fallacy attempts to discredit the argument or idea by attacking the person or people making it. An ad hominem attack is not an argument about the merits of a person’s claim but a personal attack on that person.

The fallacy undermines your opponent or other claimant’s legitimacy in an argument and can often derail a conversation.

To argue a point of view, one must use logic, evidence, opinions from other people on the topic, and facts.

Argumentum Ad Hominem Fallacy Examples

Ad hominem fallacies are arguments that attack a person instead of attacking the person’s argument. Ad hominem fallacies can also be described as a fallacy of relevance, asserting that an argument should be dismissed because of certain negative qualities we associate with the person who is advancing the argument.

What is the relevance fallacy?

The relevance fallacy is a logical fallacy that refers to the incorrect assumption that the more relevant some detail or argument is, the more likely it is to be true. This fallacy can lead to hasty generalizations and distortions of reality.

Argumentum Ad Hominem Fallacy Examples in Philosophy

Examples of Ad Hominem Fallacy in Philosophy:

The ad hominem fallacy has been extensively discussed by philosophers for centuries, and it can be found in many different contexts.

For example, when Socrates was debating with Thrasymachus in Plato’s Republic, he accused him of being arrogant and greedy, which would make his arguments against justice invalid.

Argumentum Ad Hominem Fallacy Real Life Examples

Examples of Argumentum Ad Hominem Fallacy in Real Life:

The argumentum ad hominem fallacy is a logical fallacy that occurs when someone bases their argument on the character of the person they are arguing with instead of focusing on the facts and evidence.

 For example, say you were debating whether or not it was okay to eat meat, and your opponent said, “you’re an animal-killer” in response to your arguments for why eating meat is wrong.

This would be an example of this fallacy because they are attacking you instead of addressing your points about why eating meat is wrong.

Ad Hominem Fallacy Examples in Media

Examples of Argumentum Ad Hominem Fallacy in Media: 

The argumentum ad hominem fallacy is committed when someone attacks the person instead of attacking their arguments or evidence. This type of attack can be seen in the media when a journalist criticizes politicians for being overweight and not for what they stand for.

Another example would be if you were to criticize someone’s opinion because they have an accent.

Argumentum Ad Hominem Fallacy Examples in Advertising

Ad Hominem Fallacy in Advertising: 

Ad hominem fallacy is an informal logical fallacy that occurs when someone attacks a person’s character rather than their argument or evidence.  An ad hominem attack can be used to distract from the issue at hand and shift focus onto the individual’s character instead.

 For example, in this advertisement for a new TV show about “real” housewives, one woman is wealthy and glamorous while another woman has messy hair and doesn’t wear makeup.

Ad Hominem Fallacy Examples in Politics

Examples of Ad Hominem Fallacy in Politics:

The ad hominem fallacy can be defined as an attack on a person’s character that is unrelated to their argument.

For example, when someone brings up the fact that the president is a Democrat and then proceeds to attack his character, this is an ad hominem fallacy.

Argumentum Ad Hominem Fallacy in Movies

Examples of Ad Hominem Fallacy in Movies:

• The protagonist’s argument is based on the personal attributes of the opponent.
•  The premise that an individual has a certain trait or characteristic implies they are wrong in their opinion.

Ad Hominem Fallacy Examples in Literature

Examples of Ad Hominem Fallacy in Literature:

When the protagonist of “The Catcher in the Rye” is talking to his sister, he says that she’s a “phony,” and when they’re arguing about whether or not Holden should go see their father, Holden calls her a “phony.”

In Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, Polonius convinces Laertes to kill Hamlet by telling him that Hamlet is insane and will harm Ophelia.

In The Great Gatsby, Tom tells Nick that Daisy has been cheating on him with numerous men because she can’t keep her legs together for more than five minutes at a time.

Ad Hominem Fallacy Examples In News

Examples of Ad Hominem Fallacy In News:

The argumentum ad hominem fallacy is a logical fallacy that occurs when someone attacks the person making an argument rather than attacking their claims’ validity. This type of attack can be seen in news articles, where people will discredit what a politician has to say by pointing out that they are corrupt or dishonest.

For example, one article said, “The president’s statement about climate change is not credible because he doesn’t believe in it.”