IEP page on insults and NDPR review of Sticks and S t o n e s s t i c k s a n d s t o nesthephilosophyofinsults might help . The book the latter is reviewing apparently discusses the question of whether personal insults be warranted ? I ' d personally want to know what an insult is . If a person is offended and the immediate cause was what I said , was that an insult ? Do I have to intend for something to be an insult ? What is the relation of insults to truthfalsity ? Was what Wittgenstein said about Russell ' s contributions to philosophy an insult ? Are all slurs insults ? I know that I ' ve sometimes spoken sloppily and been told that I ' ve been guilty of using slurs e . g . recently I said You ' d be crazy to believe science can ' t give you knowledge ! , and was called out on it .