LOGICAL FALLACY

Strawman

That is not what they said

What it means

A strawman replaces someone’s actual position with a weaker, exaggerated, or easier-to-attack version. Defeating the substitute does not answer the original argument—even when the substitute sounds similar enough to pass unnoticed.

Typical uses

Debates, advertising, workplace conflict, social media, and any exchange where a position is summarized before being criticized.

ORIGIN

Where the idea came from

Creator or lineage: No single creator; rooted in the classical study of fallacies
Country: Ancient Greece; the modern label developed in English-language argument studies
Years: Aristotle: 384–322 BCE
Development: Ancient logical roots; the familiar name is modern.
Catchphrase: “That is not what they said”

Replacing a real position with a weaker substitute does not answer the original argument.

Read the source: Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy

QUESTIONS TO ASK

Would the other person recognize this summary?
What was their strongest actual claim?
Did the response address it?

You do not need to know this concept’s name to use its reasoning. The name simply helps you recognize, examine, and discuss the pattern.

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