Updating beliefs regarding the conclusion of an argument based on discussion of tone is a poor idea, for sure. Discussion of tone is tangential, and doesn’t do much to get you where you’re going at the moment. I believe it is placed above ad hominem in the hierarchy because it is more likely to be adding something, however—updating beliefs about tone based on discussion of tone makes total sense, and may lead to better discussion in the future.
Updating beliefs regarding the conclusion of an argument based on discussion of tone is a poor idea, for sure. Discussion of tone is tangential, and doesn’t do much to get you where you’re going at the moment. I believe it is placed above ad hominem in the hierarchy because it is more likely to be adding something, however—updating beliefs about tone based on discussion of tone makes total sense, and may lead to better discussion in the future.