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A red herring is something that misleads or distracts from a relevant or important question. [ 1 ] . It may be either a logical fallacy or a literary device that leads readers or audiences toward a false conclusion.
RED HERRING definition: 1. a fact, idea, or subject that takes people's attention away from the central point being…. Learn more.
Jun 2, 2022 · A red herring is a misleading statement, question, or argument meant to redirect a conversation away from its original topic. A red herring is not an actual species of fish.
- Lindsay Kramer
May 31, 2023 · The figurative phrase is more than 200 years old, but the obscure etymology of a 'red herring' is a fishy story that is itself a red herring.
- Emily Petsko
- What Is A Red Herring Fallacy?
- Why Do People Use A Red Herring Fallacy?
- Red Herring Fallacy Examples
- How to Respond to A Red Herring Fallacy
- Other Interesting Articles
A red herring fallacy is a form of logical fallacy or reasoning error that occurs when a misleading argument or question is presented to distract from the main issue or argument at hand. Red herring refers to the piece of information that is used as a diversion. Mystery novels, for instance, often feature a character who draws the reader’s attentio...
In general, people use a red herring fallacy to distract from the discussion. This can happen for several reasons. They may be attempting to: 1. Reroute a discussion by steering it onto a highly controversial topic that is likely to attract people’s attention 2. Confuse people by introducing a vague statement, causing them to forget the original to...
Red herring fallacy can be observed in different contexts, such as in the media, in politics, or in advertising. Politicians often use the red herring fallacy to their advantage: by cleverly missing the point, they draw attention away from the argument or question. Looking for unsound arguments like the red herring fallacy is important if we want t...
It is important to be able to spot a red herring fallacy in others’ arguments so that a false line of reasoning won’t fool you. Depending on the situation, here are some ways you can respond to this fallacy: 1. Point out to your discussion partner that they are using a red herring and challenge it before you are dragged off to an irrelevant point. ...
If you want to know more about fallacies, research bias, or AI tools, make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.
A red herring is a piece of information in a story that distracts readers from an important truth, or leads them to mistakenly expect a particular outcome.
1. : a herring cured by salting and slow smoking to a dark brown color. 2. [from the practice of drawing a red herring across a trail to confuse hunting dogs] : something that distracts attention from the real issue.
