Strawman
Misrepresenting someone's argument as a weaker, easier-to-attack version of itself, then defeating that version instead of the actual claim.
Origin
The name evokes setting up a scarecrow that doesn't fight back, then knocking it down. The metaphor in English dates to at least the early 20th century. The move is ancient — Aristotle warned against it in his Topics. It works because the audience often can't tell whether the version being attacked is what the opponent actually said.
Modern usage
The most-named fallacy on the modern internet, partly because spotting it is itself a debate move. 'That's a strawman' is now a stock reply on Reddit, Twitter, and YouTube comment sections. Often misused for any caricature of a position, even a fair one. The opposite (steelman) — restating an opponent's argument in its strongest form — is a parallel modern term.
In the wild
He's not saying we should open the borders, he's saying we should reform the visa system. Stop strawmanning.— common usage
Tags