All fallacy-finders take note: a straw man argument is an argument in which the responder attacks a distorted version of the proponent’s argument rather than confronting the proponent’s argument itself. The following are by definition not straw man arguments:
- a request for proof of the proponent’s unsubstantiated claims
- a direct attack on a verbatim re-statement of the proponent’s argument
- pointing out the adverse consequences of what the proponent advocates (as long as they would, in fact, be consequences)
- demanding that an advocate for change present an alternative plan
And, most importantly, an argument that demolishes your position is not, ipso facto, a straw man argument.
This is a handy reference to fallacies
