What does Strawman mean?
A misrepresentation of an opponent's argument
Detailed Explanation
A 'strawman' is a logical fallacy where a person intentionally misrepresents their opponent's argument to make it easier to attack. Instead of addressing the actual argument, they create a weaker, distorted version (the 'strawman') and refute that instead. It's an intellectually dishonest debate tactic that is extremely common in online political and social discussions.
Usage Examples
“Person A: 'I think we should invest more in public transit.' Person B: 'So you want to ban all cars? That's ridiculous!' Person A: 'That's a strawman, I never said that.'”
“He's not actually debating my point; he's just attacking a strawman he created.”
“Her entire counter-argument was based on a strawman of my position.”
Origin & History
The concept of the strawman fallacy has been studied in rhetoric for centuries. Its use as a common term in online discourse grew with the rise of internet forums and social media, where text-based arguments made such fallacies easy to construct and identify.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can you counter a strawman argument?
The most effective way is to explicitly point it out ('You are misrepresenting my argument') and then calmly restate your original position, refusing to debate the distorted version.