Straw Man Definition The Straw Man logical fallacy is defined as one character creating a twisted, distorted version of another character’s argument, then attacking it as if it was the original argument.

Straw Man Example An example of the fallacy straw man is: A: “Let’s go to the movies.” B: “No, I’d rather not today.” A: “You never want to have fun.” Explanation: A twists B’s disinterest in the movies into not wanting to have fun, even though that is not the argument B is trying to make. B does not say that he doesn’t want to have fun, he just says that he doesn’t want to go the movies.

Crucible Example; Act IV, P 129 Hale: You must pardon them. They will not budge. Danforth: You misunderstand sir; I cannot pardon these when twelve are already hanged for the same crime. It is not just.

Explanation of Example When requested to pardon the remaining “witches”, Danforth executes use of the Straw Man by drawing the conversation away from the living prisoners and making the ones already hanged the center of the argument. Instead of rebutting Hale’s argument, he twists the debate into something he can control.

Additional examples: VIDEOS! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFVUjVPHZEY (:40) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQyp6L6RdxM (2:18)