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2 ideas
12573 | Ad Hominem: press a man with the consequences of his own principle [Locke] |
Full Idea: The Argumentum ad Hominem is to press a man with consequences drawn from his own principles or concessions. | |
From: John Locke (Essay Conc Human Understanding (2nd Ed) [1694], 4.17.21) | |
A reaction: This is a rather more plausible account of it than the alternative I have met, that it is just to attack to speaker instead of what they say. This version is at least an attempt to derive a contradiction, rather than mere abuse. |
12491 | Asking whether man's will is free is liking asking if sleep is fast or virtue is square [Locke] |
Full Idea: To ask whether man's will be free is as improper as to ask whether sleep be swift, or virtue square. | |
From: John Locke (Essay Conc Human Understanding (2nd Ed) [1694], 2.21.14) | |
A reaction: Beautiful illustrations of category mistakes, long before the actual phrase was coined. |