Quora Answer: How Do People Counter Ad Hominem Reasoning?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “How do people counter ad hominem reasoning?” 

An ad hominem is an argument that attacks the person instead of the argument.  When the other party resorts to an ad hominem attack, you have won since it highlights the paucity of strength in their argument, and they have left logic behind to become emotionally involved. 

The first thing to remember when getting involved in any discussion, no matter how heated, is to never get emotionally involved.  The emotional person has left logic behind, and lowered himself to the level of children.  It is important to be above that. 

When someone raises an ad hominem contention, it is important to immediately call it out, and highlight the absurdity of the reasoning.  Do not deviate from that until the point is acknowledged, and addressed.  There is no point in continuing the conversation on the basis of a faulty premise.  If the instituter of this contention refuses to acknowledge, and concede the faultiness of this premise, then leave the conversation. 

Proverbs 24:5-6

⁴ Leave the fool’s challenge unanswered, and prove thyself wise; ⁵ or answer it, if thou wilt, and prove him fool. 

⁵ κρείσσων σοφὸς ἰσχυροῦ καὶ ἀνὴρ φρόνησιν ἔχων γεωργίου μεγάλου ⁶ μετὰ κυβερνήσεως γίνεται πόλεμος βοήθεια δὲ μετὰ καρδίας βουλευτικῆς 

⁵ Vir sapiens fortis est, et vir doctus robustus et validus: ⁶ quia cum dispositione initur bellum, et erit salus ubi multa consilia sunt. 

In summary, never argue with fools.  We run the danger of being seen one of them.