Analyzing Logical Fallacies - Red Herring and Ad Hominem

The red herring fallacy involves introducing an irrelevant topic to divert attention from the main issue during a discussion or argument. It serves as a distraction tactic, especially when one is losing their argument. On the other hand, the ad hominem fallacy attacks the person making the argument rather than addressing the argument itself. This attack on the individual's character or appearance aims to discredit their argument without engaging with its substance. An example is seen in the 2016 Republican debates when Donald Trump used ad hominem attacks on Rand Paul instead of addressing Paul's argument about the importance of preserving the legal reality of warrants for searches.