Good morning. The theory behind character attack is simple: destroying the credibility of that person inhibits him from presenting reasonable appeals. If the public is urged to dislike a person before they speak, then the attacker has the greater chance of victory. Clearly, this type of thinking is childish and self-serving. It also distracts from the successful and valid arguments that the person may offer. Attacking another person’s motives, backgrounds, or unchangeable traits is a dirty tactic, although it works in almost every political campaign. We must avoid confusing someone’s private life with his professional record. Accusations against a person do not constitute a fallacy, however, if the character attacks are truly and directly relevant to the argument.
Posted on: Fri, 22 Nov 2013 11:37:10 +0000
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