Fallacy
Straw Man Argument
Also known as: Straw Man Fallacy
- Category
- Fallacy
- Main group
- Informal Fallacy
- Subgroup
- Fallacies of Distraction
- Difficulty
- medium (2/3)
- Argumentation order
- 2. Counterargument
Description
An opponent's argument is heavily distorted to make it easier to refute.
Example
Person A: "Industrial meat production is cruel to animals and harmful to the environment, climate, and health."
Person B: "So you want to ban meat-eating? That is a grave infringement on human freedom!"
- Limitations
Sometimes it is a misunderstanding or a slip-up rather than deception—not every straw man is malicious. Raising awareness for this fallacy can make debates more objective.
- Researched by
Isaac Watts
- See also
Red Herring