Policy

**Martok** · 03-05-2008, 20:25

Originally Posted by The Wandering Scholar

OK, I still do not quite accept that my post broke any rules whatsoever but I will admit I was wrong. Although I will state that warning reasons should state the rule that has been broke.

What Tosa was getting at was that if you get into a debate with someone, you attack the person's position and/or argument. What you don't do is attack the actual person themselves, which is what you did by calling caravel childish & unbearable. If you resort to name-calling, then you've automatically lost the debate.

**The Wandering Scholar** · 03-05-2008, 22:01

Well no, I used the ad-hominem fallacy used by many polititions. And TosaInu, are you just having a laugh with me now?

**caravel** · 03-05-2008, 23:30

This is what wikipedia has to say about Ad hominem arguments: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hominem

And Merriam-Webster: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ad+hominem

As you can see it's exactly what TosaInu has said in his last post in this thread. That is that an ad hominem argument is one that attacks the person instead of the claim/argument itself. You have demonstrated this in the thread in question. In that thread, you had produced no evidence or even logic to support your claim but instead resorted to personal attacks - some of these direct and others indirect.

You also made some of these attacks in other threads. It is good practice on a forum not to take a debate or personal grievance to other threads. For example if I was to disagree with someone politically in the backroom I would then not keep making references to this disagreement in, for example, the entrance hall or hardware and software forum.

Politicians often resort to such base strategies as an ad hominem argument to avoid certain issues and in particular to avoid answering difficult questions. Happily the .org is not the House of Commons and I don't feel that their behaviour is a good example for us to follow anyway, do you?

**The Wandering Scholar** · 03-06-2008, 11:22

No, why should we follow the example of the leaders of the UK

**pevergreen** · 03-06-2008, 13:07

When your posts start making sense, and TBH when you stop trolling, I think you may garner more respect.

**The Wandering Scholar** · 03-06-2008, 14:03

Originally Posted by pevergreen

When your posts start making sense, and TBH when you stop trolling, I think you may garner more respect.

Wrong

**Mikeus Caesar** · 03-06-2008, 16:06

Originally Posted by The Wandering Scholar

Wrong

Actually, correct. You may not realise it, but what are you doing does generally constitute trolling.

If you want people to respect you and care about your opinions, just remember - TEH INTERWEBS IS SERIOUS BUSINESS.

Stop taking it all so seriously and just enjoy the ride.