Re: Re[2]: [tied] Re: Scientist's etymology vs. scientific etymology

--- Patrick Ryan <proto-language@...> wrote:

>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Brian M. Scott" <BMScott@...>
> To: "Patrick Ryan" <cybalist@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Sunday, June 08, 2008 3:05 PM
> Subject: Re[2]: [tied] Re: Scientist's etymology vs.
> scientific etymology
>
> > At 3:46:43 PM on Sunday, June 8, 2008, Patrick
> Ryan wrote:
> >
> > > From: "Brian M. Scott" <BMScott@...>
> >
> > >> At 6:28:09 AM on Sunday, June 8, 2008,
> tgpedersen wrote:
> >
> > >>> --- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Brian M.
> Scott"
> > >>> <BMScott@...> wrote:
> >
> > >> [...]
> >
> > >>>> I think that his idée fixe has taken him at
> least to the
> > >>>> edge of crackpot territory.
> >
> > >>> And that is an ad hominem too.
> >
> > >> <shrug> Obviously you don't know what the term
> means.
> >
> > > No, Brian, it is obvious that you do not.
> >
> > If you intend to use the term, I suggest that you
> repair the
> > gap in your knowledge. A negative judgement of
> someone's
> > work or ideas, even a strongly negative one, is
> not an ad
> > hominem.
> >
> > > Perhaps because you do not know what ad
> hominem's are, you
> > > use them so frequently. You include an insult
> with almost
> > > everything you write.
> >
> > > How sad not to even be aware of how offensive
> you are!
> >
> > Oh, dear. The irony, the irony.
> >
> > Brian
>
> ***
>
> Patrick:
>
> I thought as much. You are actually ignorant of what
> ad hominem means!
>
> When you characterize someone as having an idée
> fixe, that is an aspersion
> against his intelligence and objectivity not against
> his work or the quality
> thereof.
>
> In fact, ad hominem is an attack on material by
> belittling its provider.
>
> ***
>

Accusing someone of having an idée fixe is not in and
of itself an ad hominem attack and while it does
question someone's objectitvity, it does in and of
itself question someone's intelligence. There are
plenty of brilliant people who have idées fixes and
who construct intellectual houses of cards. While I
disagree with Brian regarding his opinion of
Vennemann, I don't he has insulted Vennemann in an ad
hominem manner. He just doesn't accept the man's work,
that's all.