Re[4]: [tied] Re: Scientist's etymology vs. scientific etymology

At 8:05:38 PM on Sunday, June 8, 2008, Rick McCallister
wrote:

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

[...]

>> In fact, ad hominem is an attack on material by
>> belittling its provider.

Precisely. And I did nothing of the kind. I expressed a
negative opinion of the work, *not* of the provider. *You*
are the one misconstruing that as an attack on the man
himself.

> 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.

(I'm assuming that this was intended to be 'does not in and
of itself'.)

> 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.

Precisely.

Brian