ad H o R m i n 3 M fallacy

In analysing an argument, there are four steps involved:
1) Reconstruction
2) assessment
3) evaluation
4) fallacies identification



The following discussion will be on the ad horminem fallacy



as we can see from the chart above, the ad horminem fallacy can be divided into three main types.

ad horminem abusive

this fallacy is used to attack the person who is making the argument, rather than the ideas in the argument.

for example:
Study hard then we will be able to get good result. Don't listen to lazy people who do not have ideas on what they're talking about.

ad horminem circumstantial

this is a fallacy used to dismiss an argument by attacking people who presumably accept that argument because it addresses the circumstances of those who hold the position.

for example:
Mr. Johnson says that vitamin pills is good for health if it is being consumed in adequate volume. But, he is the project manager of the vitamin pill company, so it is not surprise for him to say that consuming vitamin pills is good for health since he wants lots of people to buy the vitamin.

tu quoque

this fallacy is used to accuse another person of the ame trait or characteristic that person has attributed to you.

for example:
How can you say that i did not study for my mid-term test? Since you are watching TVB drama right before the mid-term test, and did not study for mid-term test.

...F a L l a c i 3 s...

after reading chia how's blog (on the past incident that he in loved with a girl).. i've recap back that i've used a fallacy few weeks past while chating with chia how..

during that week i was not happy.. and he saw my personal message in MSN messenger..
"not happie.. smile and laugh doesn't mean that i'm happie".. after reading that, he was very curious of why i'm not happy..

i told him that i'm an emo person.. he said that girls are emotional.. there is sometime that i will be emotional and unhappy but i ownself don't know the reason.. so i admit that i'm emotional..

actually there is a reason why i'm not happy.. i did badly in mathematics for finance mid-term test paper.. sad to say that the question that i can't do, question that i've gave up was matrix!! i was really unhappy with it..

i told him i can't do matrix question. i got a strong feeling that i will get a bad result since i didn't perform well in the paper. additionally, our malaysian studies paper is tough. as a result, i've made a conclusion that i would not be able to get first class during this semester. and this is the very first sem i'm in MMU. this sem is all about the foundation subject, and if i can't get first class in this semester, i think that i would not be able to get first class in the future..



in this scene, it is obvious that i've been using the fallacy of ad populum appeal to indirect cosequences. in this case, i've assumed that if i wouldn't get high marks in my mathes paper for this sem, i will not be getting first class, and thus it is impossible for me to get first class in the future. yet, there isn't any proof showing that i can't get first class in the future is caused by the poor marks that i obtained for the subject of mathes in this sem.

My r O o m M s t 3 s...

today, one of my room mate(qing), took one of her bag out and the other room mate(Yy) said that there is someone saw Qing and said that she looks cool.. i asked her what do they mean by the word "cool".. and Yy said cool means cool!!..

in this conversation, Yy has used the vague word when she said that her friend said Qing is cool.. in what sense does she looks cool and what characteristics can one person can be described as cool? i don get the clear picture from that statement. the word COOL doesn't have a clear meaning in it..

another fallacy that was used by Yy is Pettitio principii. when i asked her what do they mean by the word "cool", she said cool means cool.. in this case, she doesn't give any reason on why they describe a person as cool.. it is clear that she has used pettitio principii in our conversation.

M y s I s T 3 r..

i have two sisters and a brother. One eldest sister and one younger sister. My younger sister is now suffering in STPM. :) and when she's having problem in her studies, she will come to me..

this afternoon, when i'm packing my things preparing to come back to MMU hostel, she asked me to teach her on her mathematics.. normally, i won't agree with her suggestion easily, and of course it will be the same for this time.. :) i asked her to give 10 reasons which can pursue me to teach her..

so the reason she gave me was, you are very kind of a person, you are very intelligent. and this is obvious showing that she is using the material fallacy of ad populum appeal to vanity, where she trying to persue me to teach her in mathematics by giving me unrelated reasons and wanted to make me seems "special" or to be respected.

accessibility of K n O w L 3 d g 3...

Philosopher grouped knowledge under a subtitle of epistemology. Knowledge is defined in various of ways in Oxford English Dictionary:

(i) expertise, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject
(ii) what is known in a particular field or in total; facts and information
(iii) awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation.

In critical thinking, we divides epistemology into three branches,
(i) priori knowledge & posteriori knowledge
(ii) accessibility of knowledge
(iii) thinking process

accessibility of knowledge can be further divided into three categories..

E x p L i C i t knowledge

~ usually found in documents or computers
~ usually readily accessible
~ documented within formal knowledge sources that are well organised



from this example, we are able to read the map.. and with the map provided, we are able to reach Fujitsu (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. located in Kuala Lumpur even if we are first visit Kuala Lumpur.

I m P L i c i T knowledge

~ usually stored within the mind or within organisational culture
~ accessible through querying and discussion
~ informal knowledge must first located and communicated



if we are asked to show the way to Fujitsu Head Office, if we are aware of the way to the destination, then we are able to show the direction to others or we are able to illustrate the correct direction to others by drawing out a map.

T a C i T knowledge

~ usually stored within the mind or organisational culture
~ accessible only indirectly and usually with difficulty
~ knowledge elicitation techniques or behavioural observation usually required



if we are stuck in a crowd. and we are forced to describe our relative where he/ she was lost in contact, without the person's picture, we are unable to describe well the person's appearance, unless the person have a very special features. in this case, we are only able to recognize that person, but hard to articulate the person's appearance into words. this is what tacit knowledge all about.

M o O n C a k 3 sending through email...

in conjunction with the coming chinese traditional festivel ~the mooncake festival~ chinese communities will send mooncake to their friends and relatives.. this is one of the culture of chinese.. they will visit each others and have a small gathering with their relatives.. besides chinese new year, this is also a festival that means to chinese.. this is when all chinese will be going back to their hometown to gather with their family.. the activities carried out during the mooncake festival usually are eating mooncake, playing lantern [usually for the children], enjoying the moonlight with the family members and experience-sharing time..

nowadays the e-card culture growing rapidly.. and today, i recieved an email from my friends sending 'e-mooncake' to me.. when i saw the email, i feel that it is very tasty and looks beautiful.. at least it can attract my attention, attracts me to continue reading the email..

these are the 'e-mooncake':











isn't these mooncakes look nice? attractive? this is what we call aesthetics a branch of philosophy. aesthetics is the study of beauty and taste. In these few pictures, i feel that these mooncakes are nice in looking, especially the variety types of design. this shows that i've applied aesthetics in reading this 'e-mooncake' email.

...McDonalds O L y M p i C promotions...

The above shows an advertisement of McDonald's. This is a promotion held in conjunction with the 29th Olympic Games took place in Beijing. This promotion promotes the McDonald's Gold Medal Meal. With every purchase of Gold Medal Meal in the nearest McDonald's outlet, a limited edition of Coca Cola contour glass will be given as free! (conditions: while stocks last! & within 11 am-4 am)



From the above advertisement, we can find out that McDonald's pursue us with implicit conclusions.

There are 4 steps in analyzing an argument:
(1) Reconstruction
(2) Assessment
(3) Evaluation
(4) Fallacy identification

For the above argument, i will do the reconstruction part only.

Conclusion: McDonald's trying to pursue us to buy the Gold Medal Meal introduced.

Premise 1: free limited edition of Coca Cola contour glass(5 choices)
Premise 2: Gold Medal Meal includes spicy chicken McDeluxe, Onion rings(7) or Large french fries, Carbonated drink (medium), sundae with the choices of flavours ~chocolate and strawberry