straw man

A straw man is a rhetorical tactic where someone misrepresents an opponent’s argument to make it easier to attack or refute. Instead of engaging with the actual point, they create a distorted or exaggerated version of it, then argue against that instead. This often leads to misunderstanding or unfair criticism. Recognizing a straw man helps ensure discussions stay honest and focused on the true issues being debated. It’s considered a fallacy because it sidesteps genuine dialogue and can mislead others about what the original argument truly was.