ad hominem in advertising

The Chronicle of Higher Education: Essay Defending AAUP Used Ad Hominem Attacks It could have been interesting to read Joan Scott’s argument that academic boycotts actually support academic freedom. Instead, alas, she devoted much of her article to an ad hominem attack on Cary ... The Atlantic: The New 'Strict Prohibition on Ad Hominem' at the Huffington Post Yesterday, The Huffington Post yanked conservative firebrand Andrew Breitbart from the front page of its publication, citing his "false ad hominem" attacks made in a Daily Caller interview as the ...

Understanding the Context

Ad hominem literally means “to the person” in New Latin (Latin as used since the end of the medieval period). Ad hominem (Latin for 'to the person'), short for argumentum ad hominem, refers to several types of arguments where the speaker attacks the character, motive, or some other attribute of the person making an argument rather than the substance of the argument itself. Ad hominem, type of argument or attack that appeals to prejudice or feelings or irrelevantly impugns another person’s character instead of addressing the facts or claims made by the latter. Ad hominem, Latin for “to the person,” is a logical fallacy where an argument is rejected or discredited based on irrelevant facts about the person presenting the argument, rather than on the merits of the argument itself.