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Actually, reading it once again, I think the author of the original article takes "strawmanning" for downplaying or picking the weakest link, probably not quite
by twelve40 5y ago
Actually, reading it once again, I think the author of the original article takes "strawmanning" for downplaying or picking the weakest link, probably not quite correct. In my understanding, strawman means something different - tearing down a similar, weaker, but not necessarily related argument. In that sense, it is disingenuous and fallacious, you are right.
- kragen 5y agoI don't think strawmanning is necessarily disingenuous; honest people can do it by accident if their sources of information are bad. For instance, it's common for atheists to strawman religious beliefs and for religious people to strawman atheism, not because they're disingenuous or even somewhat dishonest, but merely because they're ignorant about the beliefs they're criticizing.