Ad hominem attacks in scholarly debate often stem from feeling oneself misrepresented.
Evidence
I can think only that Winter may have been goaded into this sort of thing because he himself feels unfairly treated, feels that Patterson has mistaken him for holding views-about the need for mediating devices-that he believes he has distanced himself from. — Philip Chase Bobbitt, Reflections Inspired by My Critics, 383
Categorization
- SEED: A potential essay angle on the psychology of academic polemics: how feeling mischaracterized breeds reciprocal unfairness in critique.
- XREF: connects to: An ad hominem attack shifts the focus from the argument to the arguer’s character — Ruggero J. Aldisert, Agatha D. Aldisert, Logic for Lawyers- A Guide to Clear…, 1049; Scholarship is a civil conversation rather than a contest over truth — James W. Carey, Communication as Culture- Essays on…, 333; Judgmental attitudes can hinder understanding of faith. — Dan Harris, 10 percent Happier, 161 (+1 more)
Related
- An ad hominem attack shifts the focus from the argument to the arguer’s character (similarity 0.78)
Broader Connections
- An ad hominem attack shifts the focus from the argument to the arguer’s character
#expands(0.80) — Ruggero J. Aldisert, Agatha D. Aldisert, Logic for Lawyers- A Guide to Clear…, 1049 - Scholarship is a civil conversation rather than a contest over truth
#complicates(0.55) — James W. Carey, Communication as Culture- Essays on…, 333 - Judgmental attitudes can hinder understanding of faith.
#exemplifies(0.35) — Dan Harris, 10 percent Happier, 161