The job of the moderator is to rebuke those on the list who have crossed the line on the ad hominem arguments. He doesn't have to do that in very case, but when we fail to realize that we are attacking other list members, it is his job to point it out and stop the ad hominem flury. When we as list members point it out, we must be careful, because pointing out ad hominem arguments is an ad hominem rebuttal itself. We need to practice extra care and patience, and add enough to what we are saying to get the conversation back on track. We should not just say, "that was ad hom" as an attack and leave it at that.
Concerning the definition of ad hominem arguement, we are primarily concerned with the form of discrediting what is said by attacking the messenger rather than the messenger. The reason is because of what we have observed on TruthTalk quite frequently in recent times. Members feel insulted and react more out of emotion than from rational thought. The dialogue disintigrates into a personal wrestling match which becomes very boring to everyone except the wrestlers. You have not given any references for your definition of ad hominem arguments, so I don't know if you are reading a poor source or if you are just making up the definition based upon your feelings about it. I think the following definition is workable: --------------------- >From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hominem An ad hominem argument, also known as argumentum ad hominem (Latin, literally "argument to the man") or attacking the messenger, is a logical fallacy that involves replying to an argument or assertion by attacking the person presenting the argument or assertion rather than the argument itself. --------------------- You can read more about it at the link above. There are much better discussions elsewhere, but I simply do not have the time to look up the references for you right now. David Miller. ----- Original Message ----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [email protected] ; [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2006 11:57 AM Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] Mormon doctrine And I, by no means, am conducting the work of "moderator.' I am discussing the defintion of ad hom . By definition, it is anything that takes us away from the discussion at hand. It can be insulting or not. That is all I am doing. Are we not allowed to discuss the definitions and applications? Discipline is the work of a moderator. jd -------------- Original message -------------- From: "Lance Muir" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > David's expression 'personally, I'm not so sure that...' is one he employs > often. He does so rather than simply say 'Judy's position is my position'. > I'm not so sure that this is not the case > > . > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "David Miller" > To: > Sent: January 11, 2006 08:07 > Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] Mormon doctrine > > > > Judy wrote: > >>> ... they can not know God or His Word unless they are > >>> Greek scholars and know every little translational nuance. > > > > John wrote: > >> More ad hom and in this case a flasehood > > > > Please try to leave some of the moderation to the moderator. This is n > > ot > > an > > ad hominem argument. Discuss it in private if you disagree. Judy is > > simply > > communicating what she perceives how some of the intellectuals on this > > forum > > come across to her. If her perception is faulty, please try to correct > > it > > without attacking her. Teach her in meekness and humility. Personally, > > I'm > > not so sure she is too far off base with this characterization. We will > > know the truth of it by how the intellectuals respond. > > > > 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 > > > > If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a > > friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed. > > > > > ---------- > "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 > > If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a > friend > who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] and > he will be subscribed. ---------- "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 If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed.
