ad hominem adv. Appealing to personal considerations rather than to logic or reason: Debaters should avoid ad hominem arguments that question their opponents' motives.
... if I assume the base interpretation/definition of ad hominem is to be maintained on TT, I'll be banning everyone by weeks' end... including myself.
TruthTalk has always had one rule: no ad hominem arguments. The moderator's job is to try and guide discussion away from ad hominem arguments. For example, if someone replies with only, "you are silly" or "that's ridiculous" or "you are a joke" etc., then perhaps the moderator can point out the fallacy there and guide the discussion toward substance. This way the person being attacked does not have to become defensive in any way.
Most of the time, this rule does not result in banning someone from the list. We all can slip into it because it takes less work at thinking to just throw out there a sarcastic or funny slur than it does to make a case. Generally speaking, when we are corrected on this matter by the moderator, we can adjust what we are saying so that we come back into compliance.
The hardest job for the moderator is applying himself equally across the board. It is very easy for the moderator to overlook ad hominem arguments which attacks a member that he himself has problems with. Yet the slightest disagreement by another member might look like an ad hominem statement when taken out of context, when really it was not. The best way I know to deal with this is to write the moderator privately. Quote for him exactly the ad hominem statement that is overlooked. Help him to see how it is not contributing to the logical discussion of a particular subject.
One other point should be made. Sometimes a statement can be made that alone and out of context would be an ad hominem argument, but when coupled with an argument is not. For example, a poster might say, "that is ridiculous" if he follows it up with an argument, such as, "Jesus said ..." Most of the time, we should try to leave off the inflammatory commentary, but sometimes it helps a person who is passionate about a viewpoint say what he or she wants to say.
Peace be with you.
David Miller.
---------- "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org
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