Straw man
Replacing an opponent's actual position with an easier position to attack.
STUDENT SECTION
Common Fallacies
A practical guide to recurring errors in reasoning, with emphasis on how fallacies actually appear in debates rather than merely memorizing Latin names.
Ad hominem
Substituting an attack on the person for an answer to the argument.
False dilemma
Presenting two choices when additional alternatives remain available.
Equivocation
Changing the meaning of a key term during the argument.
Begging the question
Smuggling the disputed conclusion into one of the premises.
Appeal to authority
Treating expertise as a substitute for evidence when the authority lacks relevant competence or consensus.