argumentum ad hominem
Britishnoun
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fallacious argument that attacks not an opponent's beliefs but his motives or character
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argument that shows an opponent's statement to be inconsistent with his other beliefs
-
an instance of either of these
Etymology
Origin of argumentum ad hominem
literally: argument to the person
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Andr� ' whole case for Dickens is an argumentum ad hominem.
From Time Magazine Archive
The general spirit of Cyril's answer is the argumentum ad hominem; showing that the same faults, even if true, are equally true of the Greek scheme of religion.
From History of Free Thought in Reference to The Christian Religion by Farrar, Adam Storey
If sometimes he quoted words for their own sake, it was always as an argumentum ad hominem.
From The Conflict of Religions in the Early Roman Empire by Glover, T. R. (Terrot Reaveley)
This is purely an argumentum ad hominem, for Maimonides does not regard the sublunar and superlunar worlds as independent of each other.
From A History of Mediaeval Jewish Philosophy by Husik, Isaac
Their appeal to it is only a pretence,—an argumentum ad hominem.
From Modern Skepticism: A Journey Through the Land of Doubt and Back Again A Life Story by Barker, Joseph
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
