Straw man vs red herring
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One replaces the claim. The other walks away from it.
Straw man
A straw man replaces someone’s actual view with a worse or simpler one, then attacks the substitute. The real view is left standing. Quoting loosely, dropping a qualification, or leaping to an extreme all do this.
Leila says the community garden should allow dogs on a lead. Omar replies, “So you want dogs digging up every bed and children getting bitten.” She did not say that.
Open the cardRed herring
A red herring introduces a point that may be true, or even interesting, but does not bear on the question being decided. The discussion slides, and the original claim is never answered.
Asked whether the bridge is safe, an official talks at length about how handsome the opening ceremony was. The ceremony does not answer the safety question.
Open the cardHow to tell them apart
A straw man keeps the argument in the room and swaps the other person’s view for a weaker one. You are still talking about their conclusion, but not the conclusion they actually drew.
A red herring leaves the claim. The new topic may be vivid, and it may even be true, but it does not answer the point that was asked.
Ask which mistake you are looking at. If a fair restatement of the original claim is still on the table, it is not a straw man. If the original claim has been dropped, it is not only a straw man. The cards in this library keep those tests separate.
FAQ
What is Straw man?
A straw man replaces someone’s actual view with a worse or simpler one, then attacks the substitute. The real view is left standing. Quoting loosely, dropping a qualification, or leaping to an extreme all do this.
What is Red herring?
A red herring introduces a point that may be true, or even interesting, but does not bear on the question being decided. The discussion slides, and the original claim is never answered.
How do you tell Straw man from Red herring?
A straw man keeps the argument in the room and swaps the other person’s view for a weaker one. You are still talking about their conclusion, but not the conclusion they actually drew.