Posted: Jul 19, 2016 12:33 am
Thomas Eshuis wrote:That might be your opinion, but you'd be wrong. At least as far as rational discourse is concerned.
Attacking a person rather than their arguments does nothing whatsoever to refute their position or the arguments in favor of their position.
Of course. But it might be useful in certain circumstances if other methods of presentation unfortunately don't work. I don't think it's a good first resort.
Thomas Eshuis wrote:A personal attack is either name-calling or, if used as an argument, by definition an ad-hominem
You're not attacking the argument after, all but the person who made it.
Either way it's in no way conducive to rational discourse.
It doesn't improve your argument, but it may help in terms of persuasion.