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Articles

Rehabilitating the Ad Hominem Argument

Should Bertrand Russell’s ‘skirt chasing’ be taken into account when thinking about his moral theories? Stephen Anderson argues that it might, in this reply to Tim Madigan’s criticism of ad hominem arguments.

How much does a philosopher’s lifestyle matter when we are considering his or her theories? We do not expect professional footballers to exhibit exemplary morality to justify their seven-figure salaries. We do not always even expect heads of state to demonstrate superior restraint in their personal lives before we admit them to positions of power. Is there any reason for us to suppose that the philosophers whose theories we enjoy debating should be held to a different standard?

If we are willing to denigrate an argument based on the biographical details of the speaker’s life then we have engaged in the ad hominem approach to argument. In a nutshell, the ad hominem argument attacks the integrity of a speaker, rather than the integrity of his or her argument. Many philosophers have objected to the introduction of personal data into philosophical debate.

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