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    The Straw Man Fallacy-Essay

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    goodman
    The document discusses the straw man fallacy, which is when someone distorts their opponent's argument and then attacks the distorted version rather than the actual argument. It provides examples of how the straw man fallacy works and strategies to overcome it, such as clearly stating your original position to prevent misrepresentation, pointing out when an opponent uses a straw man, or ignoring the straw man and continuing to argue your actual position. In summary, the straw man fallacy involves misstating an opponent's argument in a debate and then refuting the misstated version rather than their real argument.

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    The Straw Man Fallacy-Essay

    Uploaded by

    goodman
    23 views3 pages
    The document discusses the straw man fallacy, which is when someone distorts their opponent's argument and then attacks the distorted version rather than the actual argument. It provides examples of how the straw man fallacy works and strategies to overcome it, such as clearly stating your original position to prevent misrepresentation, pointing out when an opponent uses a straw man, or ignoring the straw man and continuing to argue your actual position. In summary, the straw man fallacy involves misstating an opponent's argument in a debate and then refuting the misstated version rather than their real argument.

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    The Straw man Fallacy-Essay

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    The document discusses the straw man fallacy, which is when someone distorts their opponent's argument and then attacks the distorted version rather than the actual argument. It provides examples of how the straw man fallacy works and strategies to overcome it, such as clearly stating your original position to prevent misrepresentation, pointing out when an opponent uses a straw man, or ignoring the straw man and continuing to argue your actual position. In summary, the straw man fallacy involves misstating an opponent's argument in a debate and then refuting the misstated version rather than their real argument.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    23 views3 pages

    The Straw Man Fallacy-Essay

    Uploaded by

    goodman
    The document discusses the straw man fallacy, which is when someone distorts their opponent's argument and then attacks the distorted version rather than the actual argument. It provides examples of how the straw man fallacy works and strategies to overcome it, such as clearly stating your original position to prevent misrepresentation, pointing out when an opponent uses a straw man, or ignoring the straw man and continuing to argue your actual position. In summary, the straw man fallacy involves misstating an opponent's argument in a debate and then refuting the misstated version rather than their real argument.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 3

    The Straw Man Fallacy

    Every day, people try to persuade others that their views are the best. People will argue in

    an effort to rationally support their beliefs. However, the individuals frequently use flawed logic

    and make incorrect attempts to support their statements. Such thinking is referred to as a fallacy.

    The straw man fallacy is one particular form of fallacy. This essay explains the straw man

    fallacy's structure as it is explained in the video provided, offers examples, and offers

    suggestions for overcoming it.

    A flawed argument that distorts a person's initial point of view is essentially what a straw

    man is. It gives the impression that the individual intended something different than what they

    just said. Furthermore, using the straw man fallacy makes it easier for the other side to win a

    discussion since they have essentially made up a completely new argument based on what was

    said by the initiator. They can attack an argument they have just made instead of having to deal

    with the truth of the opposition's viewpoint in this fashion. It is really simple to understand how

    this logical mistake might be perplexing for the individual whose argument it has affected.

    A straw man fallacy can be understood by deconstructing it into three stages: Person A

    presents their perspective; Person B modifies Person A's original position and makes it appear as

    though the two are the same; Person B criticizes the distorted version of Person A's position on

    the subject and attempts to undermine the logic of the original argument (Walton et al., 2008).

    A student informing the lecturer that handing out study aids would be a good idea is an

    example of deploying the straw man fallacy in a discussion or debate. The professor declines the

    advice, claiming that he is unable to just award each student a perfect grade. A thorough study

    plan may be helpful in helping a student earn an "A," but it is not a guarantee. However, the
    lecturer presents himself as though there are no stages in between reading a handbook and

    performing well on tests. The learner may find it difficult to continue now that the subject has

    been moved to something tangentially related.

    At best unpleasant and at worst difficult, the straw man logical fallacy can be

    encountered in an argument. There are a few reliable strategies for dispelling this illusion and

    returning the discussion to its original topic. The top three tactics are listed below: Make the

    initial assertion complete. Sometimes the initial speaker fails to communicate their idea well,

    which leaves them open to the straw man fallacy. If the speaker leaves even the slightest room

    for interpretation, their opponent may intervene immediately and put up a phony defense,

    pointing out the error. It can be advantageous for the first speaker to inform the opponent and the

    audience that they are being presented with a straw man and to disregard the error. A debater

    could also think about completely dismissing a straw man and continuing to argue their position.

    In this situation, they may as well save energy and maintain the direction of the talk (Walton et

    al., 2008).

    In summary, logic, persuasive argument, and clear reasoning are all necessary for skilled

    debate. Typically, the disputing parties lay out their cases and refute the issues raised by the

    rival. Some people use so-called logical fallacies to criticize their opponent's viewpoint. The

    straw man fallacy is among the most prevalent logical errors. When a debater misrepresents

    another person's viewpoint and asserts it as their own, they are using the straw man argument.

    Confusion results and the discussion as a whole veers off the subject. A debater may choose to

    use more direct language, draw attention to the straw man fallacy, or ignore it in order to refute

    it.
    Works Cited:

    Walton, D., Reed, C., & Macagno, F. (2008). Argumentation Schemes. Cambridge University

    Press.

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