Strawman Argument

Strawman Argument: a fallacious argument that distorts an opposing stance in order to make it easier to attack

• Stages of the Argument:
  1. Person A states their position.
  2. Person B presents a distorted version of Person A's argument while pretending their is no difference between the two.
  3. Person B attacks the distorted version of Person A's argument.

The fallacy in this argument is relevance. The person attacking the argument isn't attacking the stance that is relevant to the discussion at hand.

Example: Caroline says that she thinks her friends should be nicer to the new girl. Leslie says that she can't believe that Caroline is choosing to be better friends with the new girl than the girls who she has known her whole life.

Different types of Strawman Arguments:

1. Oversimplifying, exaggerating, or generalizing your opponents argument.
2. Focusing on only a few specific aspects of an opposing argument.
3. Quoting parts of the opponent's argument out of context.
4. Arguing against fringe or extreme opinions which are sometimes used in order to support the opponent's stance, but which the opponent didn't actually use.
5. Minor/major changes in your opponent's original statement.

How can you counter a strawman argument?

One of the better ways to minimize your opponent making a strawman argument is to use direct and definitive language. Other strategies you can use are:

1. Point out the strawman- call out your opponent when they try using a strawman and explain why their argument is fallacious.
2. Ignore the strawman- you can choose to ignore the use of a strawman argument and continue to explain your position.
3. Accept the strawman- you could also choose to accept the strawman and argue with the distorted version of your position.

How can you avoid using a strawman argument yourself?

• There is always a chance you might use a strawman argument by mistake. However, there are some ways you can avoid doing so. A way to ensure this is restating your opponent's opinion and ask them if they agree with what you said. You could also use a strawman argument intentionally, but you have to be aware of the negative aspects of this decision. This can only work when listeners are unmotivated to argue against your distortion.

Other types of Arguments:

Hollow-man Arguments- an argument which involves inventing a weak fictitious position and attributing it to a vaguely-defined group who is supposed to represent the opposition, before attacking it in an attempt to discredit your opponent.

• More extreme version of a strawman argument.
• Can be identified when beginning with phrases such as "some say..." because the opponent wants to be vague enough so it is impossible to argue against.

Iron-man Arguments- an argument which involves distorting your own stance in order to make it easier for you to defend.

• To create an iron-man argument is to use vague statements that are easy to agree with.

Steel-man Argument- an argument which involves distorting your opponent's argument in order to make it easier for them to defend and more difficult for you to attack.