Question

Which of these statements is an example the fallacious reasoning known as ad hominem?

please help its an exam
"Of course she is against vegetarianism. She married a farmer."
"If you need an antidepressant, everyone says this is the best one on the market."
"If staying out after curfew were not illegal, then it would not be prohibited by the law."
"We can’t allow young people access to spray paint. If we do, they will vandalize every surface in the city."

Answer 1

"Of course she is against vegetarianism. She married a farmer."

Step-by-step explanation:

Fallacy can be defined as a mistaken or false belief that are based on illogical arguments or reasoning.

However, a lot of people might actually think it to be true but it isn't. There are various types of fallacy, these include;

I. Black or white.

II. Non sequitur.

III. Appeal to moderation.

IV. Bandwagon.

V. Appeal to authority.

VI. Straw man.

VII. Oversimplification or hasty generalization.

VIII. Appeal to ignorance.

IX. Appeal to pity.

X. Ad hominem.

Ad hominem can be defined as a type of fallacy in which the motive, character, or some other aspect of a person is attacked rather than his or her position.

This ultimately implies that, Ad hominem is typically based on prejudices, emotions, or feelings rather than appealing to reason, intellect or substance.

Hence, an example the fallacious reasoning known as ad hominem is "Of course she is against vegetarianism. She married a farmer."

We can see that the statement appeals to the marital status of the person instead of focusing on the issue of being a vegetarian i.e someone who doesn't consume animal flesh (meat) but vegetables or plants only.