Which term is Latin for 'against the man' and describes attacking the person instead of their argument?

Which term is Latin for 'against the man' and describes attacking the person instead of their argument?

• A. deus ex machina
• B. Ad hominem
• C. Red Herring
• D. Pathos

Answer: (B)

The main idea being tested is identifying a fallacy that attacks the person rather than the argument. Ad hominem, Latin for “to the man,” describes this move: instead of engaging with the reasoning or evidence, the speaker goes after the opponent’s character, motives, or background. This distracts from whether the claim itself is sound. For example, saying a policy proposal isn’t trustworthy because the presenter has a questionable past shifts the focus from the proposal’s evidence and logic to the person. That’s ad hominem. The other terms describe different concepts: deus ex machina is a sudden, contrived plot solution; a red herring is a distraction that steers away from the issue; pathos is an appeal to emotion. So ad hominem best fits the idea of attacking the man rather than the argument.

The main idea being tested is identifying a fallacy that attacks the person rather than the argument. Ad hominem, Latin for “to the man,” describes this move: instead of engaging with the reasoning or evidence, the speaker goes after the opponent’s character, motives, or background. This distracts from whether the claim itself is sound.

For example, saying a policy proposal isn’t trustworthy because the presenter has a questionable past shifts the focus from the proposal’s evidence and logic to the person. That’s ad hominem.

The other terms describe different concepts: deus ex machina is a sudden, contrived plot solution; a red herring is a distraction that steers away from the issue; pathos is an appeal to emotion. So ad hominem best fits the idea of attacking the man rather than the argument.