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Philosophy vocabulary · Fallacies

Straw man

Meaning in philosophy, with examples

nounCore term

In philosophy, straw man means: A fallacy in which someone presents an opponent's view as weaker or more extreme than it really is and then attacks that easier version.

In Turkish: korkuluk safsatası, saman adam safsatası

How it is used

You attack, set up or knock down a straw man. The opposite good practice is the principle of charity: interpret an opponent's view in its strongest form, which some people call steelmanning.

Example sentences

  1. Saying that utilitarians don't care about anyone's feelings is a straw man.

  2. Before you criticize Hobbes, make sure you aren't attacking a straw man.

Common collocations

  • attack a straw man
  • set up a straw man
  • straw man argument
  • principle of charity
  • fallacyA common error in reasoning that makes an argument look convincing even though its premises do not properly support its conclusion.
  • ad hominemA fallacy in which someone attacks the person making an argument, such as their character or motives, instead of the argument itself.
  • red herringAn irrelevant point brought into a discussion, deliberately or not, that draws attention away from the real issue.
  • objectionA reason given against a claim, theory or argument, suggesting that it may be false, unclear or badly supported.

More terms: Fallacies

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