QUESTION TEXT: It is common to respond to a…
QUESTION TYPE: Parallel Reasoning
CONCLUSION: It’s irrational to respond to personal criticism by shooting the messenger.
REASONING: The other person may have faults. But that doesn’t affect their argument. What they’re saying about you is either right or wrong, and you should focus on that.
ANALYSIS: This is a good argument. It points out that if you attack the person criticizing you, you’re making an ad hominem error.
___________
- This argument commits the ad hominem flaw from the stimulus. The country should focus on the strength of the other country’s arguments, even if that country is being hypocritical.
- This argument makes the flaw that the stimulus tells us to avoid. The argument focuses on the neighbor’s personal failings, rather than the strength of the neighbor’s argument.
- This argument is recommending an accused country commit an ad hominem flaw, for political advantage. (That might be good practical advice, of course, but it’s logically incorrect.)
- CORRECT. This argument tells us to focus on the philosopher’s arguments, not his actions. It’s warning us to avoid an ad hominem flaw.
- This argument doesn’t prove its point. Maybe we should always point out wrongs, even if everyone fails at some point.
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