====== (Argumentum) ad Feminam ====== (Latin: “argument against a/the woman”) Variation of the term “(argumentum) ad hominem”, specifically referring to a personal attack against a //female// person. ===== Other names ===== * Personal attack (against a woman) * (Argumentum) ad muli­erem ===== Description ===== The term “argumentum ad feminam” describes the same phenomenon as “[[index|argumentum ad hominem]]”, namely a personal attack against the //person// presenting an argument rather than against the //argument// itself ([[glossary/ad_res_rem|ad rem]]). The term “homi­nem” (accusative singular of “hŏmo”) in this context explicitly does //not// imply the gender of the person or persons being attacked ([[knowledge:etymological_fallacy|etymological fallacy]]). In most situations, therefore, “argumentum ad hominem” is actually preferable as the more common and easier to understand expression ([[rhetoric:jargon|Jargon]]). Nevertheless, there may be situations in which a //specifically feminine// form may be preferred. This is particularly applicable when the gender of the unfairly attacked person is important to the argument. The latter is the case, for instance, when the person is attacked on the basis of stereotypes or insinuations in which their gender plays an important role, which unfortunately is still an experience that many women have to experience in discussions today. Like all personal attacks, such gender-specific insinuations or insults are, of course, not an appropriate form of fair discourse and should be avoided. The same applies to men, of course ([[rhetoric:red_herrings:ad_hominem:ad_virum|argumentum ad virum]]). ===== Examples ===== “Argumentum ad feminam” is probably most appropriate to describe the use of certain conversation stopper phrases that refer specifically to female characteristics or clichés about women and girls: > You as a girl can’t possibly know that. Unless we are talking about a peeing in standing up, it is difficult to imagine a topic where such an argument would be anything other than an unjustified insinuation. By the end of primary school at the latest, most boys should have learned this. > You ladies are always so irrational. Apart from the inadmissible [[generalization:index|generalisation]] and malicious [[rhetoric/insinuation/index|insinuation]] contained in such a statement, it also generally implies irrational behaviour in the specific situation, without presenting any argument as to why the position taken would be “irrational”. > Please get your hormones under control. Here, too, an unfair assumption is being made. In this case, the implication is that someone's thinking is influenced by, for example, their [[wp>Menstrual cycle|menstrual cycle]] or the [[wp>Menopause|menopause]] ([[rhetoric:red_herrings:ad_hominem:insinuations|Insinuations]]). ===== Delimitation ===== It would be rather //misleading// and therefore not advisable to use the term “argumentum ad feminam” to describe personal attacks in which the victim just incidentally happens to be a woman. In such cases, “[[rhetoric:red_herrings:ad_hominem:index|argumentum ad hominem]]” would still be the better choice. Of course, this does not make such inappropriate arguments any better. In any case, it is an unfair and unfactual form of argumentation. ===== See also ===== * [[rhetoric:red_herrings:ad_hominem:index|(Argumentum) ad hominem]]: * [[rhetoric:red_herrings:ad_hominem:insults|Insults]] (“(Argumentum) ad Personam”) * [[rhetoric:red_herrings:ad_hominem:insinuations|Insinuations]] (“circumstantial ad Hominem”) * [[rhetoric:red_herrings:ad_hominem:ad_virum|(Argumentum) ad Virum]]