Strategies of Character Attack

Abstract

Why are personal attacks so powerful? In political debates, speeches, discussions and campaigns negative character judgments, aggressive charges and charged epithets are used for different purposes. They can block the dialogue, trigger value judgments, influence decisions, force the interlocutor to withdraw a viewpoint and undermine his arguments. Personal attacks are not only multifaceted dialogical moves, but also complex argumentative strategies. They can be considered as premises for further arguments based on signs or generalizations. They can trigger implicit arguments from consequences. They involve tactics for arousing emotions such as fear, hate or contempt, or ridiculing the interlocutor. This twofold level of investigation is aimed at distinguishing the different roles that ad hominem have in a dialogue and bringing to light their hidden dimensions. The reasoning structure of each type of attack will be distinguished from the analysis of the tactics used to increase its effectiveness and conceal its weaknesses.

Keywords: Fallacies, emotions, argumentation schemes, meta-dialogues, rhetorical strategies, undercutters, humor, politics, political speeches