Mastering the Straw Man Fallacy: Identification & Defense
The straw man fallacy is one of the most pervasive and misleading tactics in debates, where an opponent distorts a speaker’s original position to attack a weaker version of it. This paper examines the structure of the straw man fallacy, provides real-life examples, and outlines strategies for countering it. By understanding and recognizing this rhetorical device, debaters can avoid confusion, maintain clarity in discourse, and ensure that conversations remain focused on the real issues at hand.
References
Boudry, M., Paglieri, F., & Pigliucci, M. (2015). The fake, the flimsy, and the fallacious: Demarcating arguments in real life. Argumentation, 29(4), 431-456.
Macagno, F., & Walton, D. (2017). Interpreting straw man argumentation. New York, NY: Springer.
Reference
StudyCorgi. (2025, August 26). Mastering the Straw Man Fallacy: Identification & Defense. https://studycorgi.video/mastering-the-straw-man-fallacy-identification-defense/