Tag Archives: Ad Hominem

Days of Reason

Posted on 5/5/2013 by John Casey

Two items today. First item, the Mayor of Charlotte, NC, and current Transportation Secretary Nominee, Anthony Foxx declared last Thursday, May 2, a Day of Reason and a Day of Prayer. Now comes the Fox News Crazy, Penny Nance, CEO … Continue reading →

Posted in General discussion | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Sometimes ad hominem is warranted

Posted on 1/15/2013 by Scott Aikin

Phil Plait’s got a serious take-down of the recent claim that there’s been a meteorite found that has diatom fossils in it (at Salon).  Plait’s case is along a few lines: (1) that the rock doesn’t look like it’s a … Continue reading →

Posted in Ad Hominem, Ad Hominem Abusive, Argument Analysis | Tagged , | 10 Comments

There’s a 73.6 percent chance of a sea battle tomorrow

Posted on 10/31/2012 by John Casey

I've said it a bunch here, but I'll say it again.  The textbook examples of fallacies have nothing on the actual fallacious arguments people make.  At this link is an add put out in favor of the Republican Party.  See … Continue reading →

Posted in General discussion | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Every effect has a cause, usually

Posted on 1/12/2011 by John Casey

Someone quipped the other day that whatever we do in the wake of Saturday's massacre (not tragedy), we must not consider what might have caused it.  And so, George Will: It would be merciful if, when tragedies such as Tucson's … Continue reading →

Posted in General discussion, George Will, Straw Man | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Facts and science and argument

Posted on 10/19/2010 by John Casey

The first rule of American political discourse is that you cannot mention the inanity of American political discourse.  Here is Obama: "Part of the reason that our politics seems so tough right now and facts and science and argument does … Continue reading →

Posted in Ad Hominem Abusive, General discussion | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Electronic Lynch Mob

Posted on 9/21/2010 by John Casey

A law professor at the University of Chicago wrote a post about what a bad idea increasing the marginal tax rates on couples making more than 250,000 is.  His was an ad misericoridiam (not the fallacious kind by the way) argument: look … Continue reading →

Posted in Plain Bad Arguments, Specious allegations of fallacy | Tagged , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Straight face

Posted on 8/5/2010 by John Casey

Maggie Gallagher, president of NOM, writes: Despite the media hoopla, this is not the first case in which a federal judge has imagined and ruled that our Constitution requires same-sex marriage. A federal judge in Nebraska ruled for gay marriage … Continue reading →

Posted in Ad Hominem Abusive, Begging the Question, hollow man, Straw Man | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

My distortions are your fault

Posted on 11/16/2009 by John Casey

There was a time when a young Robert Samuelson insisted that cost should not count if something like an invasion of Iraq was necessary. He wrote: A possible war with Iraq raises many unknowns, but “can we afford it?” is … Continue reading →

Posted in Ad hominem circumstantial, General discussion, weak man | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

But you are the man

Posted on 9/5/2008 by John Casey

Not long ago there was that commercial for cell phones which featured a powerful CEO type (in a corner office) claiming to an underling that his new cell phone plan was his way of "sticking it to the man."  The … Continue reading →

Posted in Ad Hominem, Paul Krugman | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Ad matrem et filium

Posted on 9/4/2008 by John Casey

Is this charge from Kathleen Parker just a lie, a reverse ad hominem tu quoque, or nutpicking? Politicizing Bristol Palin's pregnancy, though predictable, is nonetheless repugnant and has often been absurd. It may be darkly ironic that a governor-mother who … Continue reading →

Posted in Kathleen Parker, Specious allegations of fallacy, Things that are false | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments