Straw man

STRAW MAN ARGUMENT; STRAW MAN THE STRAW MAN ARGUMENT IS SIMILAR TO THE RED HERRING IN THAT IT DOESN'T ADDRESS THE ACTUAL ARGUMENT. IT DIFFERS IN THAT A STRAW MAN DOESN'T ADDRESS THE OPPOSING ARGUMENT BECAUSE IT MISREPRESENTS OR DISTORTS IT. A STRAW MAN ARGUMENT OFTEN CONTAINS A GRAIN OF TRUTH, BUT THE OPPOSING POSITION IS SO BLOWN OUT OF PROPORTION IT IS HARDLY RECOGNIZABLE. THE GENERAL PURPOSE OF A STRAW MAN ARGUMENT IS TO PRESENT AN OPPONENTS POSITION IN A WAY THAT MAKES IT SEEMS RIDICULOUS, WEAK, AND OBVIOUSLY WRONG.