Final answer:
An ad hominem is a logical fallacy that attacks a person’s attributes rather than their argument, such as criticizing someone's personal choices to discredit their stance on environmental policy. The fallacy can manifest in various forms, including name-calling and accusations of hypocrisy like the tu quoque example.
Step-by-step explanation:
Example of Ad Hominem
An ad hominem is a logical fallacy that focuses on attacking a person's character, motive, or other attributes, instead of addressing the substance of their argument. For instance, during a debate on environmental policy, one might encounter an ad hominem if a speaker says, “We can’t trust his opinion on climate change, he drives a gas-guzzling SUV!”. In this example, the speaker is attacking the individual's personal choices rather than providing a critique of their argument regarding environmental policy.
Ad hominem attacks can take many forms, including making fun of someone's appearance or background, calling someone names, or accusing someone of hypocrisy without addressing the actual argument. One type of ad hominem, known as tu quoque, involves calling out someone for perceived hypocrisy—for example, “How can you argue for dieting when you’re not in shape?”, ignoring the argument's validity regardless of the person's individual circumstances.