![]() If you’re only criticizing who said it, and not what he said, then you’re probably falling prey to the ad hominem fallacy. The second statement may be true-the problem is that it criticizes the entity that made the argument (Russia), but fails to address the argument itself. ![]() Russian delegate: “We must intervene to stabilize Iraq.”Īmerican delegate: “Russia is only trying to protect its oil interests.” In the ad hominem fallacy, the person, organization, or entity making the argument is criticized, while the claims and the argument itself go unaddressed. One common form of this is an ad hominem attack. The problem begins when claims that are not relevant to the conclusion enter the equation. But each part of the argument builds towards its conclusion: that because dogs are the most loyal companions, they are the best pets. Or you may argue that cats (or snakes, or birds) are more loyal. You may choose to disagree with the claim that loyalty is the top priority for a pet. Because dogs are the best companions and the most loyal animals, they are the best pets.” “Loyalty and companionship are the best reasons to have a pet. When building a strong argument, you want to use claims that lead logically to your conclusion. Understanding how to construct and take apart an argument can help you avoid falling for such fallacies. ![]() People often find these fallacies hard to detect. What do ad hominems, appeals to authority, red herrings and the straw man argument have in common? Each of these is an example of the Fallacy of Relevance.įallacies of Relevance are logical fallacies in which a key part of the argument is actually irrelevant to its conclusion.
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