Which term describes refuting a caricature of an argument rather than the real position?

Which term describes refuting a caricature of an argument rather than the real position?

• A. Straw man
• B. Non sequitur
• C. Ethos
• D. Logos

Answer: (A)

This item tests the straw man tactic in argumentation: refuting a caricature of an argument rather than its real position. A straw man is created when someone distorts or exaggerates what the other person actually said, then attacks that weakened version instead of engaging with the true claim. For example, if one side argues for moderate gun controls and the other side responds by saying, “You want to take away everyone’s guns,” they’re attacking a distorted version rather than the real argument. That makes the refutation seem strong even though it isn’t addressing the real position. The other terms describe different ideas: a non sequitur is a conclusion that doesn’t logically follow from the premises, while ethos and logos are appeals to credibility and logical reasoning, not misrepresentation of an argument.

This item tests the straw man tactic in argumentation: refuting a caricature of an argument rather than its real position. A straw man is created when someone distorts or exaggerates what the other person actually said, then attacks that weakened version instead of engaging with the true claim. For example, if one side argues for moderate gun controls and the other side responds by saying, “You want to take away everyone’s guns,” they’re attacking a distorted version rather than the real argument. That makes the refutation seem strong even though it isn’t addressing the real position. The other terms describe different ideas: a non sequitur is a conclusion that doesn’t logically follow from the premises, while ethos and logos are appeals to credibility and logical reasoning, not misrepresentation of an argument.