Simpsons Logical Fallacies: Ad Hominem

Open captions change to closed captions during second half of video. Use of copyrighted content is protected by fair use which says that copyrighted content can be used so long as commentary is given. Definitions of logical fallacies come from Practical Argument by Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell.

[stevethecatcouch]

The video offers two fallacies in one. The Simpsons clip showed Homer using the ad hominem fallacy. Then the voiceover introduced a false narrative about Homer talking about Ray's gray hair, which Homer did not do in the clip.

[columbusmyhw]

I feel like Homer did a lot more than just Ad Hominem

[JakubWojciechowski]

Ray performed quite badly though. He tried to appear smarter and more competent, but didn't give any reasons for why should we think that. Also, he gave no response or counteroffer to Homer's ideas

[crispincoque]

I love how stupid 'The Simpsons' make every audience, crowd or mob out to be. Running on emotion and easily swayed, with very short memories. 🤣

[Nicoder]

Doesn't Patterson also use an Ad Hominem against Homer when he calls him a "sleazy lunatic"??

[cecevle]

i have a logical fallacies test tomorrow. these videos are so good for review. thank you!!

[KingBobXVI]

Neat idea, I like the format of using the simpsons for this kind of explanation.
I do feel that it comes up a little short though, and think Rebecca Watson's video on the fallacy covers it a little better. Specifically, in covering what is _not_ an ad hominem, since the phrase gets overused so much in public discourse. In her video, she essentially just clarifies that an ad hominem, as a fallacy, applies to an argument being made - i.e, "you're wrong _because_ you're dumb" is ad hominem because it's using the characterization as the reason for the person being wrong, where "you're dumb _and_ that's wrong because X" is _not_ an ad hominem because, while containing an insult, the insult isn't presented as the argument itself.

[Narutonarutonaruto]

Ray should of brought up how much Homer's promises would cost. If there is one thing the people of Springfield hate, it's even a slight increase in taxes and fees.

[Matkin]

Never noticed this before but there's an error at 0:51; Wiggum has black hair in the shot instead of blue.

[itskarl]

Homer attacking Patterson for his age is not ad hominem, it's poisoning the well. Ironically, it's Patterson who commits the ad hominem fallacy when he calls Homer a sleazy lunatic. An accurate accolade, but name-calling nonetheless.

[caprenticus]

Tampering of brakes can mean that they are sticky or over-sensitive; therefore Homers logical fallacy was that he would be early and not late.

[TheTraveler]

This aged very well between Trump and Biden.

[lonesometoker]

This reminds me of a time when my friend kept asking me to play cs2(csgo) i said no multiples times, he kept trying saying stuff like, it will be a good quick game we will destroy them. Sometime goes by and i bring up that he was pretty much begging me to play cs2(csgo) in that context and he said that's not what begging means he shows me the oxford dictionary witch says (to ask somebody for money, food, etc., ) un-stead of debating how and why he interrupts the word, he just calls me uneducated and being childish for saying such things. He tries to bring up how much money I make and how many girlfriends i've had and yells monkeyx8 times before he leaves the call truly a intellectual person.

[joeschembrie]

"Do we want old man Peterson here with his finger on the button?"

Did you raise an eyebrow when he said that?

[Vailnite]

Homer reminds me of Trump attacking Biden. The whole "only two years older than you" thing is really spot on with the age argument.

[aegisofhonor]

Homer is attacking Peterson because Homer is willing to do anything to become elected, even falsely attacking someone else's character so he can get his way, all because he was the one that had to take out of the garbage. The selfishness goes much deeper then just Ad Hominem, this is easily one of the worst episodes of the Simpsons because it shows Homer at his most selfish and ill informed and his selfishness and illinformaty has real consequences. I will say this though, it actually takes far more garbage to cause the kind of damage that was caused later in the episode, this seems to happen in just a few weeks where it would take many citys' garbage years to cause that sort of "trash explosion" all over an entire town.

[jamesl]

This is a foreshadowing of Twitter Twump.

[Inkyminkyzizwoz]

Ad hominem attacks are especially bad when they target traits that you don't even know the other person has, such as the size of certain anatomical parts!

[AllanTidgwell]

That wasn't an ad hominem. That was a Character Assassination

An ad hominem is an assumption of falsehood because of an unrelated characteristic. So if I'm not an accountant, but I notice a mathematical error on an accounting file, a person using an ad hominem would argue that my argument is false because I'm not an accountant. Their argument isn't a refutation of mine, but an argument that my argument is invalid because I don't meet their standard of having a valuable say on the matter

[charlesvan]

This video contains a fallacy.
Home never mentioned Patterson's hair.