The straw man fallacy is the distortion of someone else's argument to make it easier to attack or refute. Instead of addressing the opponent's actual argument, one can present a somewhat similar but not equal argument.
The straw man fallacy is an informal logical fallacy. In other words, the problem lies in the content of the argument rather than its structure (in which case it would be a formal error). More specifically, it is a fallacy of relevance: these fallacies use evidence, examples, or statements that are not relevant to the argument at hand. question.
Cause
People often use straw arguments to discredit a position or theory that they do not subscribe to. For example, describing the theory of evolution as "chance" is a straw man argument because it dilutes a complex idea and distorts it by focusing only on a single aspect of it: random mutations.
Sometimes people use a misconception to turn their opponent's argument into an unpopular position that is easy to rally supporters against because it violates social norms. To assert, for example, that “those who want to legalize drugs agree with children taking ecstasy and LSD” is a proposal that no one can defend.
However, it's important to keep in mind that when people make the straw man fallacy, they aren't necessarily doing it on purpose. This could be due to a genuine misunderstanding of the other person's argument.
The straw man fallacy can take different forms and involve:
- Taking an opponent's words out of context (i.e. choosing words that misrepresent their intention)
- Exaggerating or oversimplifying an opponent's argument and then attacking that distorted version
- Fabricating claims that the opponent never actually made
- Change small but important details in the opponent's initial argument
How to Avoid Straw Man Mistakes
When you want to validate or refute a hypothesis, repeat it before putting forward your arguments. So if you deviate from the initial proposition, it will show.
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