PHILOS 2CT3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Argumentum Ad Baculum, Ad Hominem, Tu Quoque
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Focuses on the irrelevant character, circumstances or behaviour of the person making the claim / argument. 3 types: (1) direct: attack on a person"s character, (2) tu quoque (lit. and you too): attacking a person"s behaviour (esp. hypocritical, (3) circumstantial: focusing on a person"s circumstances , affiliations, interests. **circumstance** circumstantial ad hominem is trick as critical thinkers, we should, in some way, always evaluate the background features of a claim / argument. Argumentum ad baculum an appeal to force seeks to coerce you into adopting a claim or conclusion in the absence of which you wouldn"t be inclined to do so. Argumentum ad ignorantium assumes that the absence of evidence for/against x is the same as the presence of evidence for/against x. Since you cannot provide definitive proof that big foot does not exist, that is proof enough that it does exist.