Ad Hominem
Attacking the person instead of the argument.
An argument’s truth doesn’t depend on who’s making it. When a response goes after the speaker — their character, motives, tribe — instead of the claim, the claim itself has been left untouched, even though it can feel like a rebuttal. Separate the two: a person can be unpleasant, biased, even hypocritical, and still be right. Deal with the argument on its own terms.
Where it applies
Skills this lens bears on — open any to see the lesson.