[WikiEN-l] Civility poll results

[Ray Saintonge]

Thomas Dalton wrote:
> 2009/8/12 Emily Monroe <bluecaliocean at me.com>:
>   
>>> ad hominen
>>>       
>> What does ad hominen mean?
>>     
> It means attacking the person that made an argument rather than the
> argument itself.
>
>   
The term can go further than that, though I agree that it's more 
commonly applied to attacks.

It can generally apply to any argument based on the person, and not on 
the subject or thing (ad rem).  Arguing that I agree with you because of 
who you are would also be ad hominem, but hardly an attack.

Ec