Single Idea 23655

[catalogued under 2. Reason / F. Fallacies / 7. Ad Hominem]

Full Idea

It is a good argument ad hominem, if it can be shewn that a first principle which a man rejects, stands upon the same footing with others which he admits, …for he must then be guilty of an inconsistency.

Gist of Idea

An ad hominem argument is good, if it is shown that the man's principles are inconsistent

Source

Thomas Reid (Essays on Intellectual Powers 6: Judgement [1785], 4)

Book Reference

Reid,Thomas: 'Inquiry and Essays', ed/tr. Beanblossom /K.Lehrer [Hackett 1983], p.261


A Reaction

Good point. You can't divorce 'pure' reason from the reasoners, because the inconsistency of two propositions only matters when they are both asserted together. …But attacking the ideas isn't quite the same as attacking the person.