Essence of a Straw Man
June 10, 2014 at 10:39 am
(This post was last modified: June 10, 2014 at 10:40 am by ThePinsir.)
This might belong in the Philosophy forum. If so, my bad 
My girl and I were arguing yesterday on what is and what isn't a Straw Man argument. The main point of disagreement was on intent.
If someone misrepresents your position and argues against that (a straw man), but they really don't know any better, is it really a "straw man"?
For example, say I'm debating a creationist who really doesn't know much at all about evolution. He says "monkeys don't give birth to humans!" Now, that is a true statement, but that's not what evolution claims happens. So, he is misrepresenting my position and arguing against that, so I'd say it's a Straw Man. But, if he's simply ignorant, by (presumably) no fault of his own, and isn't deliberately and maliciously misrepresenting my position...is it still a Straw Man - or is it enough to just say he's a dumb ass?
TL;DR - is intent/active deceit a requisite to committing the Straw Man fallacy?
My girl and I were arguing yesterday on what is and what isn't a Straw Man argument. The main point of disagreement was on intent.
If someone misrepresents your position and argues against that (a straw man), but they really don't know any better, is it really a "straw man"?
For example, say I'm debating a creationist who really doesn't know much at all about evolution. He says "monkeys don't give birth to humans!" Now, that is a true statement, but that's not what evolution claims happens. So, he is misrepresenting my position and arguing against that, so I'd say it's a Straw Man. But, if he's simply ignorant, by (presumably) no fault of his own, and isn't deliberately and maliciously misrepresenting my position...is it still a Straw Man - or is it enough to just say he's a dumb ass?
TL;DR - is intent/active deceit a requisite to committing the Straw Man fallacy?
I'm a bitch, I'm a lover
I'm a goddess, I'm a mother
I'm a sinner, I'm a saint
I do not feel ashamed
I'm a goddess, I'm a mother
I'm a sinner, I'm a saint
I do not feel ashamed
