aïo ૐ ~ a blog by atomïo

The term "STRAWMAN" is now a staple of rhetoric and logical debate, describing the fallacy where one misrepresents an opponent’s argument to make it easier to attack. Instead of engaging with the actual argument ( the "man of steel," so to speak ), they defeat a weaker, substituted version (the "STRAWMAN"). While its use in logic is clear, its etymology and historical roots are surprisingly murky, with one compelling theory sailing us back to maritime law and naval traditions. The Standard Logical Fallacy In logic, the  STRAWMAN fallacy ( argumentum ad hominem reductivum in some informal discussions ) works by: Distortion: Exaggerating, simplifying, or completely misrepresenting a point. Attack: Refuting the distorted version with ease. Conclusion: Claiming the original, real argument has been defeated. For instance, if person A argues, "We should increase funding for the school arts program," and person B responds, "So you want to ba...