straw man

/'strɔ:'mæn/
Học thuật
Thân thiện
straw man

A farmer places a straw man in the field to protect the crops.

Definition
  1. Noun:
    • A weak or sham argument set up to be easily refuted: The primary modern meaning refers to a logical fallacy where someone misrepresents an opponent's argument to make it easier to attack.
    • An effigy in the shape of a man to frighten birds away from seeds: A literal figure, traditionally made of straw, used as a scarecrow.
    • A person used as a cover for some questionable activity: A front person who serves to conceal the true nature or people behind an activity.
Examples of Usage
  • Noun (Logical Fallacy):
    • He attacked a straw man by claiming I wanted to ban all cars, when I only suggested reducing pollution.
    • Politicians often use straw man arguments to avoid addressing their opponent's real points.
  • Noun (Scarecrow):
    • The farmer put up a straw man in the cornfield to keep the crows away.
  • Noun (Front Person):
    • The corrupt official used a local businessman as a straw man to hide his illegal investments.
Advanced Usage
  • "To set up/attack/knock down a straw man": Common collocations describing the process of the logical fallacy.
    • Her entire speech was spent knocking down straw men instead of engaging with the actual proposal.
  • "Straw man proposal": A preliminary, often simplistic, version of a plan put forward for discussion and criticism.
    • Let's start with a straw man proposal so we have something concrete to debate and improve.
Variants and Related Words
  • Strawman (noun): An alternative, often single-word, spelling of "straw man."
  • Straw-man (adjective): Used attributively to describe the type of argument or figure.
    • That's a classic straw-man fallacy.
  • Scarecrow (noun): A direct synonym for the effigy meaning.
  • Front man (noun): A close synonym for the person used as a cover.
Synonyms
  • Misrepresentation (for the argument): A false or misleading account.
  • Fallacy (for the argument): A mistaken belief or flawed reasoning.
  • Effigy (for the scarecrow): A sculpture or model of a person.
  • Figurehead (for the person): A leader in name only.
Related Phrases
  • A man of straw: An idiom with a similar meaning to the "front person" definition, describing someone who is weak, insubstantial, or set up to take blame.
    • The CEO was merely a man of straw; the real power lay with the board.
  • To argue against a straw man: To engage in the fallacy of refuting a misrepresented argument.
straw man

A farmer places a straw man in the field to protect the crops.

Noun
  1. an effigy in the shape of a man to frighten birds away from seeds
  2. a weak or sham argument set up to be easily refuted
  3. a person used as a cover for some questionable activity

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