Ad Hominem
LSAT glossary · Law School Admission Test (LSAT)
Definition
A reasoning flaw in which an argument is rejected by attacking the person or entity making it — their character, motives, or circumstances — rather than by addressing the substance of the argument itself. On the LSAT this commonly appears when someone's claim is dismissed because they have a conflict of interest, as though questionable motives proved the claim false. LSAT phrasing: "rejects based on character rather than merit."
Ad Hominem in plain English
Ad hominem (Latin for "to the person") is attacking who's speaking instead of what they're saying. Even if someone is biased or has selfish reasons, that doesn't automatically make their claim false — you still have to check the claim itself. If a kid says "we should get more recess" and you reply "of course YOU'd say that, you love recess," you've dodged the actual question of whether more recess is a good idea. The flaw is treating a person's motives or character as if it settled whether their argument is correct; on the LSAT it reads as "rejects a claim based on character rather than merit."
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