Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Definition
A straw man argument occurs when someone misrepresents or exaggerates an opponent's position in order to make it easier to attack. Instead of addressing the actual argument, they create a weaker version that is easier to refute.
AP course connection
Topic 3.2: 3.2 Identifying and avoiding flawed lines of reasoning
Reductio ad absurdum: This term refers to disproving an argument by taking it to an extreme and showing how absurd the consequences would be.
False dichotomy: This term describes presenting only two extreme options as if they are the only possibilities, ignoring other potential alternatives.
Slippery slope: Similar to reductio ad absurdum, this term suggests that one small action will inevitably lead to a series of increasingly negative consequences.