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I'd like to know what the fallacious argument is called when someone cites an obscure logical fallacy in order to sound more intelligent, while ignoring the otherwise valid portions of the original argument.


It's a version of the Argument by Generalization: you show that one of the arguments is fallacious and generalize that everything the other has said must be fallacious. The generalization might be merely implied, by not responding to other arguments.

BTW, you are aware that 'cites an obscure logical fallacy in order to sound more intelligent' is something between an ad hominem and a red herring, because you draw attention to the supposed, morally questionable, intentions of the other, rather than face the fallacy head on?


Well, the claim that the opponent must be wrong, because he has committed a fallacy, is the fallacy fallacy...


Straw man and ad hominem are obviously the big hitters here. A good way to find examples is to search for, say: "ad hominem fuck" or "straw man asshole". The extra profanity term helps narrow the search to discussions which are particularly heated.




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