What is a straw man argument?

What is a logical fallacy?

Before diving into the straw man argument, it’s important to understand what a logical fallacy is: an error in reasoning that makes an argument invalid or unsound. There are many types of logical fallacies other than the straw man argument. Some other common logical fallacies include the red herring fallacy (a distraction from the core argument), the ad hominem fallacy (a personal or irrelevant attack), and the slippery slope fallacy (an escalation without basis).

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The definition of a straw man argument

Here, a straw man argument is one that creates an exaggerated or distorted point to an argument that can easily be attacked. The straw man argument allows the arguer to easily refute their stance by weakening their opponent’s argument, yet it doesn’t strike at the core of the topic being discussed.

“Straw man” comes from the idea that a scarecrow can easily be destroyed as it’s a weak, inanimate opponent. This type of argument is frequently used by politicians to garner support and attack their adversaries.

How to identify a straw man argument

Here are some signs you’re witnessing (or using) a straw man argument:

• The argument oversimplifies or makes a generalization.
• The argument creates an exaggeration.
• The argument uses extreme opinions that the opponent didn’t make.
• The argument takes things out of context.
• The argument only focuses on specific pieces of the opponent’s statement.

Straw man argument examples

There are many ways a straw man argument can be used. For example, if a parent tells their child they can’t see their friends tonight and the child responds, “Why do you hate me?” the child’s response is a straw man argument because it creates an exaggeration. The child’s argument inserts an extreme opinion that the parent didn’t make.

Here’s another example of a straw man argument:

• Person A: We should make some regulations surrounding plastic bags since they are causing a lot of damage to the environment.
• Person B: So, you want to ban all plastic bags and make it impossible for people to carry things? That’s ridiculous!

In this argument, Person B makes the straw man argument by using an extreme stance that Person A never made. Person A simply wants to create more rules surrounding plastic bags, not ban them completely.

Here’s another example of a straw man argument:

• Person A: We should invest more money in education and increase public school funding.
• Person B: Why should we throw unlimited amounts of money at schools? You’re going to bankrupt the entire country!

In this example, Person B is misrepresenting Person A’s argument by exaggerating it to an extreme. Person A just said we should allocate more money towards education, not put all money towards education. Person B is trying to make Person A’s argument seem unreasonable and easier to dismiss without engaging in the real argument at hand.

How to respond to a straw man argument

The best way to avoid a straw man argument from being used on you is by using clear and specific language. This gives your opponent less room to twist your argument. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to completely avoid a straw man argument from coming up. Here’s what you can do if someone tries to use a straw man argument toward you:

• Point out the straw man. Draw attention to your opponent’s straw man. You can explain to them why their argument is taking your stance out of context. Ask them to explain why they think their stance and what you argued are the same thing.
• Ignore the straw man. One option is to simply ignore their straw man and continue with your stance. However, if you ignore the straw man, your opponent may continue to bring it up.
• Accept the straw man. When you accept the straw man argument, you’ll need to defend the misconstrued version of your argument that your opponent brought up. However, accepting the straw man argument can make it harder to point out your opponent’s fallacy, since it may seem like you accept their misconstrued argument as your opinion.

Understanding the straw man argument can sharpen your logic and reasoning skills. Learning the art of rhetoric can help you strengthen your arguments, whether you’re writing a strong persuasive essay or establishing a thesis statement.