The Strawman Fallacy 2: Where Theories Are Made of Straw
In our ongoing series of logical fallacies, we're examining the Strawman Fallacy. This one's a doozy. A Strawman Fallacy occurs when an argument is presented as a strawman, making it seem more extreme or absurd than it actually is, often to make the opposing argument look more palatable or reasonable by comparison.
For example, imagine a politician arguing that a proposed law will "ruin the country." This might be a strawman, as the law may have a few minor flaws that are being blown way out of proportion.
In the case of our beloved Strawman Fallacy 2, we're going to examine the case of a particularly egregious example of the Strawman Fallacy. Meet our hero, a hapless philosopher who's been caught in the act of strawman-ing.
Meet Professor Peculiar:
Professor Peculiar's latest paper, "The Importance of Being Earnest (But Not Too Earnest)," has been accused of strawman-ing the opposition.
But don't just take our word for it. Read Professor Peculiar's defense:
Read the Full DefenseOr, if you're feeling particularly bold:
Challenge Professor Peculiar to a Debate