The difference between a reductio ad absurdum and an appeal to ridicule is that the former uses good evidence while the latter does not. Perhaps the best way to avoid this fallacy is to cultivate an attitude of respect for other points of view....
Theappeal to humoris afallacyin which arhetoruses humor to ridicule an opponent and/or direct attention away from the issue at hand. In Latin, this is also calledargumentum ad festivitatemandreductio ad absurdum. Likename calling,red herring, andstraw man, the appeal to humor is a fallacy ...