Because of their frequency in our political discourse, I call out two illegitimate ploys of argumentation. I designate them with these nicknames: âYou Hate!â and âWhat About?â They both belong on the intellectual trash heap of history.
Just as democracy requires tacit acceptance of specific norms â such as the peaceful transfer of office â so does logic have comparable rules. To violate these principles of critical thinking is to commit a fallacy.
Both âYou Hate!â and âWhat About?â indulge the fallacy of diverting from the issue to obscure truth.
âYou Hate!â is also a form of ad hominem, attacking an opponentâs character rather than addressing the issue. ....