According to Wikipedia: (in blue, my emp)
A straw man is a common reference argument and is an informal fallacy based on false representation of an opponent's argument. To be successful, a straw man argument requires that the audience be ignorant or uninformed of the original argument.
The so-called typical "attacking a straw man" argument creates the illusion of having completely refuted or defeated an opponent's proposition by covertly replacing it with a different proposition (i.e., "stand up a straw man") and then to refute or defeat that false argument ("knock down a straw man") instead of the original proposition.
This technique has been used throughout history in polemical debate, particularly in arguments about highly charged emotional issues where a fiery, entertaining "battle" and the defeat of an "enemy" may be more valued than critical thinking or understanding both sides of the issue.
EXAMPLE
Straw man arguments often arise in public debates such as a (hypothetical) prohibition debate:
A: We should relax the laws on beer.
B: No, any society with unrestricted access to intoxicants loses its work ethic and goes only for immediate gratification.
The proposal was to relax laws on beer. Person B has exaggerated this to a position that is harder to defend, i.e., "unrestricted access to intoxicants". It is a logical fallacy because Person A never made that claim.
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Using the above example from Wikipedia, some common straw man's that regularly appear on this debate forum:
A: One's sins are cleansed away by the blood of Christ in water baptism
B: (Straw man) No, you are saying water is what washes away sins > when person A never said/claimed such.
A: Obedience to Gods will is necessary to being saved and obedience to God cannot/does not earn salvation.
B: (Straw man) No, you are trying to earn salvation by your obedience to God > when person A never said/claimed such.
A: Doing God's righteousness saves, man cannot be saved by doing his own righteousness
B: (Straw man) No, you are trying to earn your salvation by doing your own righteous works > when person A never said/claimed such.
A straw man is a common reference argument and is an informal fallacy based on false representation of an opponent's argument. To be successful, a straw man argument requires that the audience be ignorant or uninformed of the original argument.
The so-called typical "attacking a straw man" argument creates the illusion of having completely refuted or defeated an opponent's proposition by covertly replacing it with a different proposition (i.e., "stand up a straw man") and then to refute or defeat that false argument ("knock down a straw man") instead of the original proposition.
This technique has been used throughout history in polemical debate, particularly in arguments about highly charged emotional issues where a fiery, entertaining "battle" and the defeat of an "enemy" may be more valued than critical thinking or understanding both sides of the issue.
EXAMPLE
Straw man arguments often arise in public debates such as a (hypothetical) prohibition debate:
A: We should relax the laws on beer.
B: No, any society with unrestricted access to intoxicants loses its work ethic and goes only for immediate gratification.
The proposal was to relax laws on beer. Person B has exaggerated this to a position that is harder to defend, i.e., "unrestricted access to intoxicants". It is a logical fallacy because Person A never made that claim.
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Using the above example from Wikipedia, some common straw man's that regularly appear on this debate forum:
A: One's sins are cleansed away by the blood of Christ in water baptism
B: (Straw man) No, you are saying water is what washes away sins > when person A never said/claimed such.
A: Obedience to Gods will is necessary to being saved and obedience to God cannot/does not earn salvation.
B: (Straw man) No, you are trying to earn salvation by your obedience to God > when person A never said/claimed such.
A: Doing God's righteousness saves, man cannot be saved by doing his own righteousness
B: (Straw man) No, you are trying to earn your salvation by doing your own righteous works > when person A never said/claimed such.
