Lesson 9: Straw Man

Spot the Faulty Logic #

Maya says, “I think we should have 30 minutes of quiet reading time each day at school.” Her classmate responds, “So you think we should just read books all day and never do math or science? That’s ridiculous!”

Discussion: Talk with your teacher about this example. What seems wrong with the classmate’s response?

How/Why It’s Often Used #

People use this fallacy because it’s much easier to argue against a weak, distorted version of someone’s position than their actual argument. Instead of addressing what the person really said, they create a “straw man” - a flimsy version of the argument that can be easily knocked down, just like a scarecrow made of straw.

This happens when someone either doesn’t understand the original argument, doesn’t want to deal with it honestly, or wants to make their opponent look foolish. It’s common in debates, arguments between friends, and in media coverage of controversial topics.

Straw Man in Action #

Did you spot the faulty logic? #

Maya suggested 30 minutes of reading time, not replacing the entire school day with reading. Her classmate twisted her reasonable suggestion into an extreme position that Maya never actually held, making it easy to dismiss.

Second Example #

Dad: “I think you should limit your video game time to one hour on school nights.” Child: “So you want me to never have any fun and just do homework until I go to bed? You want me to be miserable!”

The Flaw #

Dad suggested limiting video games to one hour, not eliminating all fun. The child exaggerated the position to something extreme that Dad never said, making it easier to argue against.