Bulverism
Also called: Psychoanalysing the opponent
Assuming someone is wrong, then explaining why they hold the mistaken view.
How to spot it
Does the reply explain away a belief before showing it is false?
Example
“You only think that because of how you were raised.”
How to answer it
Say that why you believe something is separate from whether it is true, and ask for the argument.
Related
- Appeal to motive: Dismissing a claim because of what the speaker stands to gain from it.
- Ad hominem: Attacking the person making the argument instead of the argument.