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Ad hominem and other societal ills |
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Recently I have been pilloried for pointing out the fallacy of the whole ethanol scare. In this case I connected an individual to the error, and of course certain people are now suggesting that I am attacking that individual. One has to wonder what happened to logic. I have said all over my website that I attack ideas, not people. I have never been personal in my criticism, though two individuals have apparently confused the sanctioning of bad ideas with calling the individuals bad.
The distinction used to be universally understood. I like and hugely admire Elon Musk. But I regard his stated goal of colonizing Mars absolutely crackers. Brilliant, tenacious, visionary, and crackers. The two things can coexist, people. Think about it.
"I attack ideas, I don't attack people. Some very good people have some very bad ideas."
"That I have no friendship for Franklin I avow. That I am incapable of having any with a man of his moral sentiments I avow. As far as fate shall compel me to sit with him in public affairs, I shall treat him with decency and perfect impartiality.”
Ad hominen. It means the person disagreeing with your position uses the simplistic and unreasonable tactic of attacking you as a person and not your position. Shooting the messenger is a similar saying. In the thirty years I have been educating visitors to my site about vintage Honda maintenance best practices, not once has the dissenting individual offered data, test results, documentation, consenting voices--any of that. Why?
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Last updated March 2026 Email me www.motorcycleproject.com My bio © 1996-2026 Mike Nixon |