posted
A Strawman Argument is an argument based on a characterization of the opposing side's premises that the opposing side would not accept.
Example: Opponents of gay marriage claim gay marriage is wrong because gays are evil. STRAWMAN - they don't really believe that.
A Strawman Argument is NOT:
-A reductio ad absurdum of one of the opposing side's premises. EXAMPLE: If gay marriage should be made legal because of X, polygamy should be made legal because of X. NOT STRAWMAN
-Making an analogy between the opposing side's view and a view the opposing side would not accept EXAMPLE: Wanting to legalize gay marriage is like wanting to legalize polygamy. NOT STRAWMAN
-Using logic to infer things that the opposing side might not agree with from things they would agree with. EXAMPLE: If you want to legalize marriage because it is unfair for gay individuals to not be able to marry who they want, then it follows that people have some right to marry whoever they want. NOT STRAWMAN
Posts: 2432 | Registered: Feb 2001
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posted
The use of a man-shaped form in corn fields to make crows think there are people around and therefore not eat the crop -- STRAWMAN
The use of dummies in uniforms placed in windows along your castle to make the enemy think your numbers are much larger than they are -- STRAWMAN
Making a dummy and using a pumpkin for its head to delight the children at Halloween (this dummy is sometimes really a person who cleverly lies waiting for unsuspecting people to turn their delight into fear, which at Halloween is probably also delight) -- STRAWMAN
Just trying to make sure we're all clear.
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posted
On Haloween, lying slumped on the porch wearing gloves with straw sticking out of your sleeves and your hat pulled town to hider your face, waiting for trick-or-treaters to come and scare them -- FALSE STRAWMAN.
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posted
Singing and Dancing down the Yellowbrick Road because you don't have a heart--Not a Strawman.
Singing and Dancing down the Yellowbrick Road because you don't have courage--Not a Strawman.
Singing and Dancing down the Yellowbrick Road because you don't have a brain--That is a Strawman
Singing and Dancing down I-70 during rush hour traffic because you don't have a brain--Not a Strawman.
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quote:On Haloween, lying slumped on the porch wearing gloves with straw sticking out of your sleeves and your hat pulled town to hider your face, waiting for trick-or-treaters to come and scare them -- FALSE STRAWMAN.
posted
I've developed a whole new type of argument. It's an argument based on a position that your opponent might espouse if he were really nervous about whether you might beat him to death.
It's called a "coffee-stirrerman argument"
Sort of a smaller version of the STRAWMAN
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posted
Then there is the argument where you tell your opponent to relax. It's called the "Hey, man" argument.
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posted
I found out a few days ago in a communications class I have to take, the term "strawman" is actually sexist, the real term is "strawperson". <--*That rolling eyes should be about 20 times larger*
posted
No, my communications teacher, who is apparently infintly knolwedgable about all things PC informed me (yes I asked ) that "strawperson" was the correct word.
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Xaposert, I dislike you saying that all people who use the term 'strawman' are idiots, and that their mothers have genital warts, and they feed their children to rabid polar bears.
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