ATTACKING THE MOTIVE

An arguer criticizes a persons motivation for

offering a particular argument or claim, rather
than examining the worth of the argument or
claim itself.

Formula
a) X is biased or has questionable
motives.
b) Xs argument or claim should be
Example
rejected.
1. (a) Kamal claims that LUMS is the best Business
school in Pakistan. But why should we listen to
him? (b) Being a LUMS student, of course he
would say that!
2. (a) The Judges who were removed for not taking
the second PCO oath are agitating to reinstall
the deposed Chief Justice Ifkihar. (b) But why
should we listen to the judges? Of course they

BUT! NOT all attacks on arguers motives are

fallacious
Burton Wexler, spokesperson for the American
Tobacco Growers Association, has argued that
there is no credible scientific evidence that
cigarette smoking causes cancer. Given
Wexlers obvious bias in the matter, his
arguments should be taken with a grain of salt.